On the second day of his visit to the Central African Republic, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of UN peacekeeping operations, met with the country’s Prime Minister, Felix Moloua. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the current situation in the CAR and key steps needed to make further progress.
The Central African Republic has faced deteriorating humanitarian and security conditions since March, with increasing clashes between armed groups. Despite these challenges, significant progress has been made in stabilizing the country.
During the meeting, Lacroix highlighted several areas of positive change. He mentioned in particular the reestablishment of the State presence in conflict zones and the successful stabilization efforts in various regions of the country. He also noted progress in disarming members of armed groups, as well as the withdrawal of some groups from armed conflict and their reintegration into civilian life.
“We took stock of several important advances, including in the reestablishment of the State presence, as well as the stabilization efforts that are bearing fruit in several parts of the territory, the progress made in the disarmament of members of armed groups, and the fact that a number of armed groups have withdrawn from the armed struggle and reintegrated into civilian life,” Lacroix explained.
A key topic of discussion was the country’s electoral process. With national elections scheduled for next year, Lacroix stressed the importance of preparing for a smooth transition and a fair voting process. Through the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, and other international partners, the UN is actively supporting preparations to ensure free and secure elections.
The meeting also focused on ways to better protect civilians and strengthen the country’s commitment to international humanitarian law. Both Lacroix and Moloua stressed the need to continue to protect vulnerable populations in the face of the ongoing conflict.