The head of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, Valentine Rugwabiza, has affirmed the organization’s continued commitment to assisting the country in creating a political and security environment conducive to lasting peace, stability, and sustainable development. Rugwabiza underscored that such an outcome could only be achieved through the combined efforts of all parties involved.
In her briefing to the UN Security Council, Rugwabiza highlighted that local elections offer a unique opportunity to address the root causes of conflict by promoting decentralization, consolidating citizen-centric governance, and strengthening the state’s authority. The UN representative in CAR stressed that local elections would expand the political space, which is a priority of the political agreement.
However, Rugwabiza also cautioned that to ensure local elections have the desired impact, they must be inclusive. “For this reason, I continue to encourage dialogue between the government and the leaders of the opposition political parties,” she said.
While she acknowledged that the humanitarian needs of the Central African Republic remain pressing, Rugwabiza emphasized the importance of supporting the government in rebuilding national cohesion and investing in the resilience and recovery of local communities.
In addition, Rugwabiza stressed that “the government’s mobilization of support from its partners to build the institutional, logistical, and operational capacities of the national defense forces and internal security forces remains an urgent matter to maintain security gains”.
