Brussels, 20/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU foreign affairs ministers stressed in conclusions on the Central African Republic, adopted without debate on Monday 20 July, the need to “quickly generate a controlled dynamic of disarmament” and to “take forward without delay” the reform of the security sector (RSS).
The EU stands ready to work with UN's MINUSCA peacekeeping mission to support the Central African authorities in the process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), particularly on voluntary disarmament, ministers state. They also call for “immediate” progress to be made on RSS, which, they say, must cover all the related areas, including restoration of the criminal justice system, and which is supported by the European strategic advisory mission EUNAM RCA.
Ministers state, too, that “the role of the Armed Forces (FACA), their localisation, size, composition and armament, including the individual reintegration of former combatants into the uniformed forces, should be defined precisely after the elections and form part of the RSS process which must begin now”.
The DDR and RSS processes thus remain priorities, ministers say, at a time when the transitional Central Afrtican authorities have made “decisive political advances”, particularly through preparations for the forthcoming elections, such as “publication of the revised election timetable and initial voter registration” (our translation throughout). The humanitarian situation and the country's budget continue to be two major sources of concern for the EU. (Jan Kordys)