Author: Database of Press Releases related to Africa

VATICAN, Holy See, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Gratitude for the great work of evangelisation that is taking place in Guinea, despite a lack of material resources, and invitations to unity, reconciliation and dialogue with members of other religions were the key points of the Pope’s address to the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Guinea, whom he received in audience this morning, at the end of their “ad limina” visit.

“Christ’s disciples form a living body that manifests the joy of the Gospel by the enthusiasm of faith, although the conditions under which the Good News is proclaimed are often difficult”, the Pope writes. “From a purely human point of view the means of evangelisation may seem ridiculous. Far from being discouraged, you must remember that this is the work of Jesus Himself, beyond all that we are able to discover and understand. However, for the Gospel to profoundly touch and convert hearts, we must remember that only if we are united in love can we give witness to the truth of the Gospel. … Discord between Christians is the greatest obstacle to evangelisation. It favours the development of groups that exploit poverty and credulity to propose easy but illusory problems to the problems faced by the people. In a world afflicted by many ethnic, political and religious conflicts, communities must be ‘authentically fraternal and reconciled’ for their witness to be ‘luminous and attractive’. God will give us the grace, if we know how to receive it, to render unity greater than conflict”.

Pope Francis goes on to remark that, for the proclamation of the Gospel to be fruitful, all existence must be coherent with what is proclaimed. He thanks the bishops for having instituted centres for the formation of laypersons and catechists for this purpose, and he urged them to support families in which Christian marriage must be lived without ambiguity, given that polygamy is very widespread within the country. He also suggests that they encourage the young to “bear witness to their faith, by committing themselves within society, thereby demonstrating their attachment to their country. In collaboration with the different actors in social life, they must always be artisans of peace and reconciliation in the fight against the extreme poverty that Guinea faces. In this respect, despite difficulties, I encourage you to deepen your relationships with your Muslim compatriots, mutually learning to accept different ways of being, thinking and expressing oneself”.

The Pope turns his attention also to the religious who in Guinea “express the love of Christ in works of aid for the population, both in healthcare and in education and instruction … accomplishing a true act of evangelisation, and giving authentic testimony of God’s tenderness towards all mankind, especially the poorest and weakest; a witness that touches hearts and firmly entrenches faith”. Despite a lack of resources, Francis urges the prelates always to support them, “both spiritually and materially so that they may courageously persevere in their work of evangelisation and social promotion”.

The final paragraphs of the Pope’s address are dedicated to priests, who are however still few in number in Guinea. The Holy Father congratulates them for the recent opening of the “Benedict XVI” major seminary which offers hope for the future and emphasises that the example of priests who live their vocation with joy is essential for ensuring that the new priests “learn to live truly the requirements of ecclesiastical celibacy, and the proper relationship with material goods, rejecting worldliness and careerism – for the priesthood is not a means of social mobility – as well as a real engagement with the poorest”.

BANGUI, Central African Republic, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) and Head of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA), Gen. Jean Marie Michel Mokoko has expressed outrage and indignation at the unprovoked attack on one of its clearly marked vehicles transporting three MISCA Members of Staff. The attack by yet unidentified armed assailants occurred last night at around 7:30 p.m. near the Reconciliation Roundabout (Ali Bongo Monument) in Bangui, seriously injuring a MISCA Finance Officer and a Nurse. The third person in the vehicle, a MISCA Surgeon received minor injuries. The Finance Officer and Nurse are in stable condition and have been medically evacuated to Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. In a separate incident, two MISCA Peacekeepers on duty providing security at Hôpital de l’Amitié, in Bangui, also came under a grenade attack, yesterday. No serious injuries were reported.

The Special Representative condemns in the strongest terms this totally unwarranted assault on international peacekeepers and urges the CAR Transitional Authorities to do everything in their power to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the suspects. He reiterates the warning issued, on 21 March 2014, by the International Contact Group (ICG), at its 4th meeting held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, that all spoiler groups and individuals in the CAR will be held accountable. He urges all armed groups to turn-in their weapons and join the dialogue and reconciliation process recently launched by the Transitional Government.

The Special Representative wishes a speedy recovery to the injured medical staff and calls on all MISCA uniformed and civilian personnel to remain vigilant and continue fulfilling the Mission’s mandate with the same exemplary dedication and commitment.

TUNIS, Tunisia, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Despite important economic progress and agricultural successes, Africa remains the world’s most food insecure continent, with relatively low levels of agricultural productivity, low rural incomes, and high rates of malnutrition, FAO said today.

As the Organization’s 28th Regional Conference for Africa gathers in Tunis, FAO is calling on African ministers of agriculture for action in priority areas to accelerate increased investment and broad-based transformation in support of smallholder farmers, including rural youth and women.

Africa has recorded continuous economic growth since 1999, accompanied by improved governance and human development indicators. Currently, seven out of the top ten fastest growing economies in the world are situated in Africa, and the International Monetary Fund estimates that economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa will be 6.1 percent in 2014.

Africa’s annual total GDP grew on average by 4.8 percent in 2000-2010, up from 2.1 percent in the previous decade, and the agricultural sector’s growth rates in the same time period were 3.2 percent and 3.0 percent respectively.

The continent has achieved a series of agricultural successes in major areas, including the intensification of staple food production, improved varieties of banana in eastern and central Africa, high-yielding varieties of maize in east and southern Africa, and productivity gains in cotton production in Burkina Faso and Mali and in tea and floriculture in East Africa.

“The question is how African leaders can build on this progress by providing stable agriculture and fiscal policies that encourage investment, as committed 10 years ago in the Maputo Declaration, and strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms that contribute to more systemic implementation of policies and programmes,” said Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

“These actions are critical to trigger a transformation in the capacity of countries to deliver sustained and broad-based agricultural growth and development.”

The Conference will advocate for providing the enabling environment to end hunger in the continent by 2025. It will primarily focus on sustainably increasing the potential of agriculture, fisheries, livestock and forestry as a source of employment and income for African youth, women and men who engage in these sectors for food and nutrition security as well as agri-business ventures aimed at increasing family incomes.

The status and trends of agriculture, food and nutrition in Africa

Trends in per capita food production have been generally positive over recent decades. On average, agricultural production in Africa has increased slightly less than 1 percent per year, compared with about 2 percent in developing countries. While Africa experienced high instability in food price levels, per capita food production was more stable over time and variability was relatively low compared to other regions, such as Asia or Latin America.

But despite the overall progress made on hunger and malnutrition in Africa over the past decades, absolute levels of hunger and undernourishment remain worrying in sub-Saharan Africa, FAO said.

FAO estimates that poverty rates in Africa declined marginally from 56 percent in 1990 to 49 percent in 2010, leaving 388 million in extreme poverty and approximately 239 million chronically undernourished in the continent. The food security situation in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa continues to be of particular concern.

By 2012, Africa as a continent had made the least progress in reducing poverty. The 2012 United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Report states that Africa is 41 percent “off” the first MDG poverty target versus 25 percent in South Asia and 6.1 percent in Latin America.

However, 11 African countries have already met the first MDG hunger target to reduce by half the proportion of hungry people between 1990 and 2015 (see box right). Three countries – Djibouti, Ghana, and São Tomé and Príncipe – have also met the even more ambitious 1996 World Food Summit goal to reduce by half the total number of hungry.

Enabling environment for investment

In order to compete successfully with imports in their own growing domestic and regional agribusiness markets, African farmers and agribusinesses will need to improve value chain efficiency at all levels, FAO said.

The Organization underscored that there are significant opportunities for accelerating smallholder-driven agriculture and agri-business in Africa as the basis for transforming and commercializing the sector.

Due to rapid urbanization, around 40 percent of Africa’s population is now living in urban areas and consuming approximately 50 percent of the total food, boosting the importance of rural-urban food supply chains.

Policy-makers should see this urban market as at least as much of an opportunity as the export market, particularly since it is more accessible to small family farms and firms, the Organization stressed.

Numerous and interesting examples of the dynamic growth of rural-urban supply chains and agri-food systems can be found throughout the continent including: millers-cum-retailers of teff in Addis Ababa markets; the millet supply chain in Senegal with the rise in branded, packaged millet and millet-cum-dairy products for the Dakar market and for export; the chicken supply chain in urban Nigeria, Mozambique and many other African countries, giving rise to a wide range of local and regional poultry companies; and the rapid rise of dairy processing companies, linked to small farmers, in Kenya and Zambia.

Concerted efforts are needed to assist a broader set of asset-poor family farms gain access to agricultural inputs, affordable credit, rural services and extension information that allows them to take advantage of the growing market. Innovative social protection and risk management programmes are also required to address the particular constraints of smallholder farmers, FAO said.

Sustaining CAADP momentum

With a view to enhancing FAO contributions to the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) at country, regional and continental levels, the Organization undertook important activities in 2013 towards strengthening and aligning capacity on CAADP activities for 2014 and 2015.

In July 2013, FAO collaborated with the African Union Commission and Lula Institute to host a High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, “Toward African Renaissance: Renewed Partnership for Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa by 2025 within the CAADP Framework”.

The Declaration of the High-Level Meeting – which was also endorsed at the January 2014 African Union Summit – urges African heads of state to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition on the continent by 2025. The High-Level Meeting roadmap recommends joint actions to mainstream and operationalize the Partnership for a Renewed Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa through CAADP, implemented primarily with its own resources and with the assistance of technical and development partners.

The Africa Solidarity Trust Fund for Food Security was meanwhile officially launched during the 38th Session of the FAO Conference in June 2013. The fund currently has $40 million, to initially support projects in Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali and Niger. The major contributions so far come from Equatorial Guinea and Angola. The Fund is one of the few Africa-led innovative mechanisms of mobilizing resources from Africa for Africa.

FAO’s Regional Conference for Africa is taking place from 24-28 March in the Tunisian capital. In total, 54 African member countries will participate in the conference, 30 of which will be represented at ministerial level. In addtion, Austria, China, the Dominican Republic, France, Italy, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as well as the Holy See will attend as observers.

DUBAI, UAE, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — APO (African Press Organization) (http://www.apo-opa.com), the sole press release wire in Africa, and the global leader in media relations related to Africa, announced today the opening of an office in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to serve the Middle East, where demand for APO media relations services dedicated to Africa has been growing rapidly.

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“Over the last 12 months we have experienced an increasing level of interest from clients operating from the Middle East, and we are looking forward to strengthening existing relationships with clients while building new partnerships”, said APO Founder and CEO, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.

“APO meets all communication requirements concerning Africa. The offer includes any activities related to PR, ranging from press release distribution and monitoring to online press conferences, interactive webcasts and op-ed placements, and expert advice on African PR practices can also be provided”, added Pompigne-Mognard.

The Dubai office, which is located in Dubai Airport Free Zone, becomes APO’s fifth regional head office after Dakar (Sénégal), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mumbaï (India), and Victoria (Seychelles).

APO manages Africa Wire®, the service for press release distribution and monitoring in Africa, reaching over 50,000 media contacts, bloggers and social networks, and redistributing content to over 50 African websites, Bloomberg Terminal, Thomson Reuters, Lexis Nexis, Dow Jones Factiva, and more.

Used by some of the world’s largest companies, communications agencies, institutions and organizations, Africa Wire® guarantees the most extensive reach to Africa, acting as the conduit for APO’s clients’ targeted audience in all parts of the continent and the world.

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EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is providing protection to thousands of people who recently sought refuge at the Mission’s bases in Korma (North…

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (http://ltwp.co.ke) meant to add an existing 300MW of reliable, low cost wind energy to the national grid of Kenya reached a critical m…

MAPUTO, Mozambique, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mozambique’s discovery of the 4th largest gas reserves in the world, coupled with an estimated US$12 billion worth of power projects in the pipeline and steady economic growth of 8% a year, makes the country one of the most exciting and lucrative power investment destinations in the world.

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Most recently, ACWA Power Moatize Termoeléctrica announced the development of a thermo-electric power station in Mozambique’s Tete province with an estimated cost of US$1 billion, and the Japanese government announced it is to grant Mozambique a loan of 17.27 billion yen (167 million US dollars) to build a gas fired power station in Maputo. The 3rd Annual Powering Africa Mozambique Meeting (http://www.poweringafrica-mozambique.com) will bring together senior decision-makers representing such projects.

Public sector participants who will attend the meeting include:

Hon Salvador Namburete, Minister of Energy, Republic of Mozambique

Laura Nhancale, Director of Studies and Planning, Ministry of Energy, Republic of Mozambique

Antonio Osvaldo Saide, Director, New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy, Republic of Mozambique

Pascoal Bacela, National Director of Energy, Ministry of Energy, Republic of Mozambique

Carlos Yum, Business Development Director, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM)

Isaque Chande, Commissioner, CNELEC

Maduna Ngobeni, Project Officer : IPP Renewables, Department of Energy, South Africa

Private sector participants will include:

Cédric Lemarié, General Manager, Vale*

Willem Theron, General Manager: New Business Development, Southern African Energy Unit, Eskom

Manoj Gupta, Country Head Mozambique, Jindal Africa

Kribs Govender, General Manager SNE, Low Carbon Electricity, Sasol

Sean Friend, Portfolio Manager, Infrastructure, Developmental and Environmental Assets Old Mutual Investment Group (Pty) Limited

David Humphrey, Global Head of Power and Infrastructure, Standard Bank Group

Pedro Pereira Coutinho, Managing Partner, Eaglestone

A combination of roundtables and workshops will allow participants to question and engage in dialogue with government officials and private sector developers to explore solutions and help shape policy for some of the most critical issues facing the development of the power sector in Mozambique, including: the electrification of gas for domestic and international use, the funding of hydro power projects, the funding of grids, solving the off taker issues and lack of government guarantees. The 3rd Annual Powering Africa Mozambique Meeting is being hosted in partnership with the Mozambican Ministry of Energy.

Note * = to be confirmed

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of EnergyNet.

Contact: Amy Offord – Senior Marketing Executive

Tel: +44 (0)20 7384 8068

Email: amy.offord@energynet.co.uk

For more information about Powering Africa: Mozambique:

Meeting name: Powering Africa: Mozambique

Meeting dates: 8-9th May 2014

Venue: Girassol Indy Congress Hotel & Spa

Visit: http://www.poweringafrica-mozambique.com

KHARTOUM, Sudan, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, has expressed his deep concern at increasing violence in Darfur, as tens of thousands of people continue to be displaced from their homes. Since the beginning of 2014, over 200,000 people in Darfur have been displaced. Mr. Al-Za’tari feels extremely saddened by the continuous loss of human life, mostly civilians not associated with the conflict.

“Civilians are those most deeply affected by renewed hostilities in Darfur”, said Mr. Al-Za’tari. “Insecurity and other impediments have prevented aid agencies from reaching many affected people in active conflict areas, but we do know that many people are suffering. The scale of this new displacement is also stretching the ability of aid agencies, national and international, to deliver basic services to those in need, especially in Darfur’s camps where there is already a shortage of capacity amongst aid agencies,” he said.

“The increasingly challenging and protracted nature of the crisis in Darfur has led to a nearly two-thirds reduction in the number of aid workers, from some 18,000 in early 2009 to 6,800 aid workers in late 2013, making the effective delivery of aid more difficult. However, more than at any point since the Darfur crisis started a decade ago, the people of Darfur need the immediate support of the humanitarian community. All parties to the conflict in Darfur need to put the interest of innocent civilians ahead of other narrow interests. This means allowing aid agencies to deliver assistance to those vulnerable people who need it most immediately without delay or hindrance, and reaching an agreement that allows the people of Darfur to live in peace,” said Mr. Al-Za’tari.

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — CONCLUSIONS

1. The International Contact Group on the Central African Republic (ICG-CAR) held its fourth meeting in Brazzaville, on Friday, 21 March 2014, under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of the Congo, and Ambassador Smaïl Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU). The list of countries and organizations that took part in the meeting is indicated below .

2. The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo, who delivered the opening speech of the meeting. His speech was preceded by statements made by the Prime Minister of the CAR transitional Government, André Nzapayeke; the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui; the ECCAS Secretary-General, Ambassador Amad Allam-Mi; the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chad, Madam Kassiré Isabelle Housnan; as well as by the message of the UN Secretary-General read out by his Special Representative in the CAR, General Babacar Gaye.

3. Participants reviewed the evolution of the situation in the CAR since the 3rd meeting of the ICG-CAR held in Bangui, on 8 November 2013, on the basis of the briefing provided by the CAR Prime Minister, as well as interventions by the international actors involved in the management of the situation in that country and the ensuing exchanges of views.

On the evolution of the situation in the CAR

4. Participants, having noted the obstacles that have severely hampered the conduct of the transition towards the end of 2013, welcomed the election of Mrs. Catherine Samba-Panza as Head of State and the appointment of Mr. André Nzapayeke as Prime Minister, as well as the subsequent formation of a new Government, in line with the conclusions of the ECCAS 6th Extraordinary Summit held in N’Djamena on 9 and 10 January 2014. They noted that the changes at the top of the executive of the transition create an environment conducive to more sustained and coherent national efforts for an early way out of the crisis, as well as to a greater mobilization of the international community in favor of the CAR.

5. Recalling the serious incidents that took place in Bangui in early December 2013, with the attack launched by the anti-Balaka group, the subsequent abuses and sectarian tensions, Participants acknowledged that the security situation has significantly improved thanks to the action of the African-led International Support Mission in the CAR (MISCA) and Operation Sangaris. They noted, in this regard, the continued reduction of the level of violence, the gradual return to normal life in Bangui and elsewhere in the country and the beginning of the return of displaced populations. Participants stressed the need for continued efforts to strengthen the trend towards an improved security situation and the extension of State authority throughout the national territory. They strongly condemned the armed groups and elements that continue to perpetrate criminal acts and attempt to undermine the efforts of the transitional authorities.

6. Participants noted that, in spite of the improvement of the security environment, the humanitarian situation remains a source of concern. In this regard, they noted the massive displacement of civilian populations both within the CAR and towards the neighboring countries, and stressed the urgency of greater international mobilization to meet the needs of the affected populations.

7. Participants welcomed the appointment of the seven members of the National Elections Authority (NEA). They noted that the NEA members, with the support of the UN, the EU, France and MISCA, had already made several visits to the countryside, and that they had developed a timetable for the electoral process spread over 12 months. At the same time, they recognized the daunting challenges that lie ahead for the proper and timely conduct of the electoral process.

On the implementation of the Roadmap for the Transition

8. Participants took note of the update provided by the CAR Prime Minister on the implementation status of the Roadmap for the Transition. They noted the announcement made by the Prime Minister on the presentation of an implementation plan of the revised transitional Roadmap to the National Transitional Council (NTC), in early April 2014.

9. Participants stressed the need for greater political commitment on the part of the CAR stakeholders to help consolidate the security gains recorded thanks to the action of MISCA, with the support of the Sangaris operation. They recalled the primary responsibility of the CAR stakeholders in resolving the serious crisis facing their country, stressing that the role of the international community is to support national efforts and not replace them. In this context, Participants urged the CAR authorities to strengthen the measures aimed at isolating and applying sanctions against spoilers, especially the anti-Balaka elements, and promoting national reconciliation; in this respect, they encouraged countries that have undergone similar processes to share their experiences with the CAR. They strongly recommended to the CAR Government to initiate an inclusive dialogue among the various political and social stakeholders in the CAR. They urged the Government to keep the members of the ICG-CAR regularly informed of progress made in this regard, so as to facilitate the mobilization of international support.

10. Participants also stressed the necessity and urgency of more sustained efforts regarding the reform of the defense and security sector and the programme for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). In this context, they urged the Government to quickly implement, in accordance with the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2134 (2014), the DDR strategy it has adopted, taking into account all armed groups. They stressed the importance of developing a national vision on the defense and security sector reform and DDR, which is in line with the current capabilities of the State and takes into account the urgency of stabilizing the situation. Participants agreed that the Government would keep international partners regularly informed of measures taken in this regard.

11. Participants welcomed the apologies presented by the CAR Prime Minister, on behalf of the CAR nation, to the neighboring countries whose nationals were victims of atrocities and other violations of human rights on the CAR territory. The Prime Minister noted that, in spite of these abuses, the countries concerned have continued to fulfill their duty of offering hospitality to the CAR citizens.

On regional and international efforts

12. Participants welcomed the ongoing efforts of the ECCAS leaders and acknowledged the crucial role of the region in the resolution of the CAR crisis. They welcomed the decisions taken by the 6th ECCAS Extraordinary Summit and the financial assistance that the region extends to the CAR to enable it meet some of its most pressing needs. They renewed their confidence and gratitude to Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso, Mediator of ECCAS, and Idriss Deby Itno, Chairman of ECCAS, urging them to pursue and intensify their action in support of peace, security and stability in the CAR. They urged the international community, including the UN Security Council, to effectively support the continued role of the region and to ensure that any international initiative on CAR further this objective.

13. Participants welcomed the transformation of MICOPAX into MISCA and the measures taken by the AU to enable the Mission to quickly reach its authorized strength of 6,000 uniformed personnel. They paid tribute to MICOPAX for the work it carried out in a challenging environment.

14. With reference to the donors’ conference for MISCA organized by the AU Commission in Addis Ababa, on 1 February 2014, Participants expressed their gratitude to the AU Member States that have made pledges or are already extending support to MISCA (ECCAS Member States, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Namibia, Nigeria and South Africa). Similarly, they expressed deep appreciation to the international partners who provide financial, logistical and technical support for the deployment and operations of MISCA, including the U.S., the EU and its Member States (France, Luxembourg and United Kingdom), Canada, Japan and Norway. They thanked the UN and France for availing expertise to MISCA. They commended MISCA for its outstanding work on the ground, in coordination with Sangaris, whose strength was recently increased, noting that this work has significantly improved the security situation in the CAR. They paid tribute to the soldiers and police officers who fell in the line of duty and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

15. Participants welcomed the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) to authorize the deployment of additional police personnel and specialized capabilities to enhance the effectiveness of MISCA. In this context, they launched an urgent appeal to all international partners to provide increased support to MISCA, especially in terms of mobility, equipment and financial resources. They agreed that the AU would submit, within a week, an updated list of MISCA’s needs to facilitate the rapid mobilization of the required resources. Similarly, they expressed the hope that, in order to ensure a smooth and efficient transition between MISCA and a UN operation, as recommended by the Secretary-General in his report of 5 March 2014, the UN Security Council would authorize the establishment of a specific and appropriate support package. Participants welcomed the EU decision to launch operation “EUFOR RCA” to contribute to the consolidation of the gains recorded by MISCA with the support of the Sangaris operation. They welcomed the ongoing efforts to strengthen coordination between MISCA and the Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord’s Resistance Army (RCI-LRA).

16. Having recalled that the objective of MISCA is to create, with the support of Sangaris, conditions for a more sustained and sustainable international engagement in the CAR and noted that MISCA plans to complete the initial stabilization phase of the situation in the next six to nine months, Participants welcomed the prospect of the deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation. They stressed the need for the AU and the UN to spare no efforts in ensuring a successful transition, drawing lessons from previous experiences. In this regard, they noted the relevant provisions of the communiqué adopted by the AU PSC at its 422nd meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 7 March 2014, stressing that the success of MISCA is an essential condition for the success of the envisaged UN operation.

17. Participants welcomed the holding in Brussels, on 20 January 2014, of the International High-Level Conference on the Humanitarian Situation in the CAR. Reiterating their deep concern at the scale of the humanitarian crisis in the CAR and noting that only 21 percent of the required amount has been mobilized to date, they strongly urged all concerned donors to honor their commitments as soon as possible. They expressed gratitude to the countries of the region hosting CAR refugees. They commended MISCA for its support to humanitarian operations, including escort of convoys from the Cameroon border to Bangui, protection of IDP sites and of humanitarian actors.

18. Participants acknowledged the seriousness of the socio-economic problems faced by the CAR, stressing that the situation calls for urgent action by the international partners and for the adjustment of the procedures governing international assistance to fit the peculiar situation of the CAR. In this regard, they stressed the importance of the regular payment of salaries for civil servants and pensions of the retirees, as well as support for the reactivation of the state and administrative machinery. They welcomed the ECCAS decision to devote 50 out of the 100 million U.S. dollars pledged during the donors’ conference held in Addis Ababa to economic and budgetary support to the CAR. They welcomed the reactivation by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) of their offices in Bangui. They encouraged the international financial institutions, notably the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as the African Development Bank, to accelerate the resumption of their assistance to the CAR and to rapidly and effectively disburse the resources pledged.

19. As part of efforts to stabilize the situation in the CAR, Participants stressed the need for the imposition of sanctions against all CAR individuals and entities attempting to hinder the transition and the peace and reconciliation process. They urged the UN Security Council, in line with resolution 2127 (2013), to quickly designate individuals and entities to be sanctioned in order to send a clear message to the spoilers about its determination to hold them accountable for their actions. In the same spirit, Participants welcomed the commencement of the work of the International Commission of Inquiry on the situation of human rights in the CAR since 1 January 2013. They look forward to the review by the AU of its list of individuals under sanction for acts that undermine peace efforts in the CAR.

On the strengthening of the ICG-CAR and follow-up of its conclusions

20. Participants agreed on the need to strengthen the effectiveness of the ICG-CAR and its support to the transition. Against this background, they requested the co-Chairs of the ICG-CAR, namely the AU Commission and the Republic of the Congo, to establish, under their leadership, a small informal structure comprising ECCAS and key international partners, as well as the CAR, to ensure the follow-up of the conclusions of the regular meetings of the ICG-CAR, facilitate the involvement of specialized experts and foster the mobilization of additional resources. The modus operandi of this structure, which will meet at least one month before every regular session of the ICG-CAR, will be determined by the co-Chairs in consultation with the concerned partners.

21. Participants requested that the commitments made by the CAR Government and the members of the ICG-CAR, as well as the recommendations concerning them, be captured by the AU Commission in a matrix format and circulated to all the members of the Group. The latter will, in turn, inform the co-Chairs of the follow-up steps they have taken before every meeting of the Group. Participants welcomed the participation of the OIC for the first time, as a member of the ICG-CAR, in the meeting of the Group, and its desire to contribute to national reconciliation, humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons and refugees, as well as to the reconstruction of the CAR.

Next meeting of the ICG-CAR

22. Participants agreed that the next meeting of the ICG-CAR will be held in Addis Ababa, in June 2014, at a date to be determined through consultations.

Motion of thanks

23. Participants expressed their gratitude to the Congolese authorities for the generous hospitality extended to all the delegations that attended the meeting, and for the excellent arrangements made for the successful holding of the meeting.

NEW YORK, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Babacar Gaye, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), to the meeting of the International Contact Group on the Central African Republic, in Brazzaville, 21 March:

I thank the African Union and the Mediator of the Economic Community of Central African States for the crisis in the Central African Republic, His Excellency President Denis Sassou N’Guesso, for inviting the United Nations to participate in the fourth meeting of the International Contact Group on the Central African Republic. I thank the Government and people of the Republic of the Congo for hosting this important meeting.

A year after the unconstitutional change of power in the Central African Republic, the country remains in deep crisis. There are tens of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons. Entire communities lie in ruins. The country is almost bankrupt and at risk of a de facto partition.

The international community has a collective responsibility to help the Transitional Government and the people of the Central African Republic stop the killing, protect civilians, prevent further separation of communities, enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance and get the Government functioning again.

I am greatly encouraged by the resolve demonstrated by the new Transitional Government to address immediate challenges, while laying the groundwork for longer-term peace and stability. The unwavering commitment of Central Africans themselves will be indispensable alongside the continued engagement of its neighbours, the Economic Community of Central African States, the region and the wider international community. I recently had the honour of meeting with three religious leaders of the Central African Republic — Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga, Imam Omar Kobine Layama and Reverend Nicolas Guérékoyamé Gbangou. I was deeply impressed by their commitment to dialogue and peaceful co-existence among all communities in the Central African Republic. These leaders are an example for the entire country.

A week ago today, the National Transitional Council started working on the elaboration of a new constitution, giving itself three months to do so before submitting it to a popular referendum. The United Nations is making its expertise available, as we have done in the past for the elaboration of the electoral code and the Transitional Charter. It will be essential for this process to foster national ownership around critical issues that need nation-wide buy-in.

However, to be successful in this and other areas of the country’s reconstruction, security needs to be re-established. I welcome the establishment of a National Security Council to set and coordinate security and defence objectives. I also commend the African-led International Support Mission for the Central African Republic (MISCA) and Sangaris for their critical contribution to restoring peace and security in parts of Bangui and elsewhere. Earlier this month, I presented to the Security Council a proposal to transform MISCA into a United Nations peacekeeping operation as early as mid-September. In the meantime, I reiterate my call for the immediate deployment of additional troops and police to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in line with the six-point initiative I presented to the Security Council last month.

The deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation should be part of a broader, long-term engagement of the international community. It should also come with a political commitment from national stakeholders to engage in an inclusive political process aimed at creating an environment conducive to the creation of a republican army, the rebuilding of the police and gendarmerie, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, reconciliation and the conduct of inclusive, fair and transparent elections. To that effect, national stakeholders need to commit formally to a process that produces a consensual and inclusive vision on the way ahead for the country. The United Nations stands ready to facilitate such a process.

We should also consider ways to support the authorities in strengthening public financial management and accountability in a manner that specifically targets revenue collection, expenditure controls, public procurement and concession practices.

Funding will be crucial if we are to address the crisis in all its dimensions— security, political, human rights and humanitarian. However, donors have fulfilled only a small fraction of the pledges they made in recent months to meet humanitarian needs, organize elections and support MISCA. Moreover, the European Union has not yet deployed its 1,000 strong force (EUFOR CAR). I urge European member States to provide the remaining troops and logistical assets needed to enable the deployment of the force.

I appeal to the international community to provide the support needed to translate our concern into effective action. The people of the Central African Republic are living in fear for their lives and for their future. Their needs will only increase further with the rainy season. Let us do our utmost to keep an already desperate situation from deteriorating further; let us work together to help the people of the Central African Republic find the path of reconstruction, reconciliation and peace.