Bangui, Central African Republic - A joint delegation of UNESCO and the Juventus Football Club is visiting the Central African Republic this week to witness the progress of a project they have developed together to benefit the social rehabilitation of children affected by the crisis there since 2013.

Led by UNESCO Assistant Director-General Eric Falt and the President of Juventus Legends David Trézéguet, the delegation witnessed some of the work already accomplished in the first few months of the project with their partners of the Ecole des Métiers d'Art.

100 children were selected for the first round of training, which includes first and foremost literacy classes to make sure that they are equipped with basic reading and writing skills.They are then taught a range of professional skills, including leatherworks, welding, basket weaving and wood sculpting.

The group of children who were selected are former child soldiers or children who were otherwise affected in their physical or moral integrity.

Throughout the day, football star David Trézéguet was mobbed by the Central African youth, who chanted his name and waved posters bearing his portrait prepared for the occasion. He also had a chance to play football with the young beneficiaries of the project in the national stadium of Bangui and to score a goal to the delight of his fans.

"It is important for UNESCO to show solidarity with the children of Central Africa, to underline with them the importance of acquiring an education and to support the efforts of the Government in this regard", said Assistant Director-General Eric Falt.

"We are here with pride to support UNESCO in this undertaking and help take the children back to a normal life. We all think that education is important to achieve this result", underlined David Trézéguet.

The UNESCO-Juventus delegation will travel later this week to Mali, where they will launch a similar project.

The joint program is funded through the benefits generated last year during the UNESCO Cup, a gala football match between former players of Juventus Football Club and Real Madrid, including Zinedine Zidane, Pavel Nedved and Fabrizio Ravanelli.

The 2015 edition of the UNESCO Cup will be held on 8 September in the Juventus Stadium, with the proceeds intended to provide further support to the projects in Central Africa and Mali. This year's match will oppose the Juventus Legends to the Argentinian team of Boca Juniors.

APERÇU DE LA SITUATION

La reprise des hostilités et la flambée de violence et criminalité observées dans le nord et le centre du Mali au cours du deuxième trimestre de 2015 menacent les progrès réalisés à ce jour en matière de rétablissement de l’administration et des services publics. En plus des risques de protection et des déplacements de populations liés à ces violences, le manque d’accès à l’eau, aux soins de santé, à la nourriture, aux moyens de subsistance et à l’éducation continuent d’affecter des centaines de milliers de femmes, d’hommes et d’enfants. Environ 102 000 personnes sont déplacées au Mali en raison du conflit et 137 000 autres sont réfugiées dans les pays voisins. Des centaines de milliers d’autres sont rentrées dans le nord du pays où elles ont besoin d’aide pour leur réintégration sociale et économique.
Par ailleurs, à l’échelle du pays, environ 17 % de la population souffre d’insécurité alimentaire (aigüe et modérée) et 13 % des enfants souffrent de malnutrition aigüe (ce qui dépasse le seuil d’alerte de l’OMS fixé à 10 %.)

Situation overview

The resumption of hostilities and the outbreak of violence and criminality observed in northern and central Mali in the second quarter of 2015 threaten the progress made to date in restoring the administration and public services. In addition to protection risks and population displacements related to this violence, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children continue to lack access to water, health care, food, livelihood and education. Approximately 102,000 people are displaced in Mali due to the conflict and 137,000 others are refugees in neighboring countries. Hundreds of thousands more have returned to the north where they need help for their social and economic reintegration. Moreover, across the country, about 15% of the population suffers from food insecurity (acute and moderate) and 13% of children suffer from acute malnutrition (which exceeds the WHO 10% alert threshold.)

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Thursday 6/11/2015 - 14:21 GMT

Nigeria's Boko Haram has over the years morphed from an Islamic sect into an IS-affiliated armed movement waging a deadly insurgency that threatens regional stability.

The group, whose name roughly translates from the Hausa language spoken in northern Nigeria as "Western education is forbidden", aims to create an Islamic caliphate in the territories it controls.

Its first leader was Mohammed Yusuf, who advocated a radical form of Islam and said Western values installed by Nigeria's former British rulers were responsible for the country's ills.

He attracted countless disaffected youths in Maiduguri, capital of the northeastern Borno state, with vocal criticism of a corrupt secular regime that neglected development in the mainly Muslim region.

From as far back as the 1990s, his sermons in mosques attracted followers but Boko Haram is widely considered to have emerged in 2002 when authorities started paying closer attention to Yusuf.

• Descent into violence -

The movement was broadly peaceful but that changed when Yusuf was killed in custody in 2009 after an uprising in Maiduguri that prompted a military assault which killed some 700 and left the group's mosque and headquarters in ruins.

Boko Haram went underground, and its surviving senior members fled abroad where they are thought to have been convinced of the need for violence by hardened jihadists.

From then on, leaders decided that beyond applying Islamic law in Nigeria, the aim of the group was also to destabilise the state with violence.

Abubakar Shekau, Yusuf's right-hand man, replaced him as leader, going on to wage dozens of deadly attacks on schools, churches, mosques, state entities and security forces mainly in the northeast.

Some members are thought to have trained with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in northern Mali in 2012 and 2013. Washington has said the two groups have ties.

But while attacks took place with increasing frequency, it was the April 2014 kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the Borno town of Chibok that brought unprecedented world attention on the insurgency.

In August last year, Shekau proclaimed a "caliphate" in the Borno town of Gwoza and on March 7 this year he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group that controls vast areas of Iraq and Syria.

Earlier this month, the group published a video calling itself the "Islamic State of West Africa".

• Fight-back -

Earlier this year, as Boko Haram started eyeing border areas in neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, the three countries deployed troops to help Nigeria cope with the insurgents and claimed a series of successes.

Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected as president in March and took office on May 29, has made crushing the group one of his top priorities after a six-year insurgency that has left at least 15,000 people dead.

He has since set out to defeat the militants, announcing the transfer of the military command centre from Abuja to the strategic city of Maiduguri, visiting Niger and Chad to push for continued cooperation and asking for further global support at a G7 summit in Germany.

Buhari's nascent presidency has however seen an increase in suspected Boko Haram attacks, with 12 recorded since he took the oath of office and at least 109 deaths.

bur-mbx/phz/fg

Continued poor pastoral conditions aggravate hardships for pastoral households

KEY MESSAGES

• Poor agropastoral households in central and northern areas of the country who experienced large shortfalls in their 2014/15 crop production and sharp reductions in their household incomes are currently resorting to atypical strategies and are facing food consumption deficits. As a result, these households are currently in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) food insecurity.

• Pastoral conditions across the country are currently unusually poor. While different meteorological centers have conflicting outlooks for the upcoming rainy season, a late start-of-season, as predicted in forecasts by the PRESAO Forum, could delay the improvement in pastoral conditions which, in turn, could mean higher than usual livestock mortality rates. This would negatively affect household livelihoods and curtail food access.

• Cumulative rainfall forecasts are also mixed at this time. According to the PRESAO Forum, there is a high probability of average to above-average rainfall. Meanwhile, forecasts by other organizations (ECMWF, NMME, IRI, and UK MET) indicate a higher probability of below-average rainfall. Given these inconsistencies, June updates to current forecast models will need to be closely monitored.

SC/11925

7461st Meeting (AM )
SECURITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS COVERAGE

The Security Council today expressed concern at the grave security situation in parts of Central Africa within the remit of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), in particular the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic and its regional impact, the continuing threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and continued terrorist activities by Boko Haram.

In a statement issued by Ramlan Bin Ibrahim (Malaysia), Council President for June, the 15-member body also expressed continuing concern over maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, the illegal wildlife trade and transnational organized crime. Welcoming the local, parliamentary and presidential elections held in the subregion, the Council stressed the need for upcoming elections to be held in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner.

Regarding the international mediation process in the Central African Republic, the Council in particular welcomed the outcome of the Bangui Forum for National Reconciliation, held from 4 to 11 May and chaired by Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of UNOCA. The Council encouraged Mr. Bathily and his Office to continue supporting those efforts, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the transition process there.

The Council also stressed the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions regime established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), and the key role that regional States, as well as regional and subregional organizations, could play in that regard.

Condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks by Boko Haram since 2009, which had caused large-scale and devastating loss of life and were a threat to stability and peace in West and Central Africa, the body urged States in the region to scale up military cooperation and coordination to more effectively and immediately combat that group, welcoming efforts to set up a multinational joint task force towards that end.

The Council reiterated its strong condemnation of the LRA’s appalling attacks, including those that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and demanded they end immediately. It urged UNOCA as well as the United Nations political and peacekeeping missions and other relevant presences to enhance their efforts in support of the implementation of the United Nations Regional Strategy to Address the Threat and Impact of the Activities of the LRA.

The Council noted that while the LRA was responsible for 36 civilian deaths in 2014, down from 76 in 2013, the number of its abductions in the Central African Republic and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo significantly increased to several hundred.

Welcoming steps towards a comprehensive and more regional approach to the humanitarian situation, the Council reiterated its call for the swift and full implementation of the conclusions of the working group on children and armed conflict. It asked UNOCA to work with various United Nations entities to promote long-term stabilization in formerly LRA-affected areas, and encouraged donors to increase funding for early recovery projects to help affected communities.

UNOCA was also encouraged to continue supporting development of a subregional approach to address the LRA’s link to illicit trafficking in wildlife and natural resources.

Welcoming the transfer of Dominic Ongwen to the International Criminal Court in The Hague in January 2015, the Council recalled that the Court arrest warrants had yet to be executed for other LRA leaders, including Joseph Kony, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It called upon all States to cooperate with relevant national Governments and the Court in order to execute those warrants and to bring to justice those responsible.

The Council welcomed the recommendations of the Strategic Assessment Review conducted in March 2015, noting in particular the suggestion that UNOCA focus on areas of work in which the Office had recognized strengths and a comparative advantage. It asked the Secretary-General to keep the Council informed through a report on the situation in Central Africa and UNOCA’s activities to be submitted before 30 November 2015 and every six months thereafter.

Earlier, briefing the Council, Mr. Bathily said that since its creation in 2010, UNOCA had demonstrated its added value in a fragile subregion with enormous internal and cross-border security challenges. With the Council’s continued support, the Office would continue to be a “steadfast partner to Central African States in the promotion of peace and stability”.

The political and security situation in the region during the reporting period remained a source of concern. Central Africa was marked by pre-electoral tensions, economic crisis exacerbated by falling commodity prices, youth unemployment, terrorism and cross-border spillover of domestic conflicts. The crisis in the Central African Republic continued to have regional and multidimensional consequences, including almost 500,000 refugees, gross human rights violations, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, growing gang-related criminality, and environmental degradation in refugee areas.

As Chair of the Bangui Forum, he had worked in close consultation with partners towards defusing pre-Forum tensions and discouraging spoilers, advising participants, including armed groups, ensuring inclusivity and transparency, facilitating ownership of the process by Central Africans, and keeping all actors mindful of a long-term vision for peace. “Moving forward it will be critical to capitalize on the momentum generated by the Forum and mobilize the required resources for the elections and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration,” he said.

Boko Haram remained a serious threat to the Lake Chad Basin region, posing a dire humanitarian situation in the region, he said. Insecurity and insufficient resources continued to strain the already stretched response capacities of Governments and United Nations entities in the affected countries. While the fight against Boko Haram was not over, the international community must start looking ahead to the stabilization phase in order to secure military gains, including by candidly examining and addressing the root causes of violent extremism.

The LRA continued to pose a threat to regional security and, during the period under review, the number of abductions increased and more than 200,000 persons still remained displaced across the region, he said. Mr. Ongwen’s removal from the battlefield sent a strong message to remaining LRA fighters and signified that international efforts to combat the group, within the framework of the United Nations and African Union Regional Strategies, were bearing fruit.

With Central Africa having entered an electoral cycle ending in 2018, political tensions were on the rise in some countries, he said. Issues related to amending constitutional term limits were dividing electorates, while violent confrontations had led to the loss of life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, and social grievances were percolating. In that context, he continued to use the good offices of the Secretary-General to engage political stakeholders across the subregion and encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The meeting began at 10:03 a.m. and ended at 10:23 a.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2015/12 reads as follows:

“The Security Council expresses its concern at the grave security situation in parts of Central Africa within the remit of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), in particular the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) and its regional impact, the continuing threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and the continued terrorist activities perpetrated by Boko Haram in countries in the subregion. The Council also expresses its continuing concern regarding maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, the illegal wildlife trade and transnational organised crime. The Council welcomes the local, parliamentary and presidential elections held in the subregion and stressed the need for upcoming elections in the region to be held in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner according to their constitutions, and encourages UNOCA to continue to support States in this regard including through the promotion of women’s political participation.

“The Security Council commends the role of the ECCAS Heads of States in the ECCAS-led international mediation process in CAR and welcomes the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Abdoulaye Bathily, in the process. The Council commends SRSG Bathily for his diplomatic efforts, in collaboration with the ECCAS mediator, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, the African Union Special Envoy for the CAR, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, as well as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR, Lieutenant General (Rtd.) Babacar Gaye. In particular, the Council welcomes the holding of the Bangui Forum for National Reconciliation from 4–11 May, chaired by SRSG Bathily, and welcomes the outcomes of the meeting. The Council encourages SRSG Bathily and his Office to continue supporting these efforts and to support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the transition process in the CAR, through the international mediation process. The Council also stressed the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions regime established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), and the key role that regional States, as well as regional and subregional organizations, can play in this regard.

“The Security Council condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks conducted by Boko Haram since 2009, which have caused large-scale and devastating loss of life and represent a threat to the stability and peace of West and Central Africa. In particular, the Council strongly condemns the continued increase in attacks perpetrated by the terrorist group in Nigeria, along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, in the northern provinces of Cameroon and attacks near the Nigeria-Chad border. The Council expresses concern that the activities of Boko Haram continue to have adverse humanitarian impact on West and Central Africa, including the displacement of an estimated 74,000 Nigerians into neighbouring Cameroon, 96,000 internally displaced persons within Cameroon, and in Chad almost 20,000 Nigerian refugees, 8,500 returnees and 14,500 internally displaced persons.

“The Security Council welcomes the recent gains made by States in the region against Boko Haram, and commends the bravery of the troops involved. The Council underlines the continuing threat presented by Boko Haram to peace and stability in the region. It urges States in the region to further enhance regional military cooperation and coordination to more effectively and immediately combat Boko Haram, in accordance with international law. In this regard, it welcomes efforts by the region to set up a multinational joint taskforce, and strongly encourages the ongoing coordination efforts of ECCAS and ECOWAS to counter Boko Haram. The Council stresses the need to adopt a comprehensive approach in order to successfully tackle the threat presented by Boko Haram to the region. The Security Council encourages partners to increase security assistance to Lake Chad Basin Commission countries and Benin, humanitarian support across the region for those affected by Boko Haram activities. The Council calls on UNOCA to continue its collaboration with the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), in order to continue to support, as appropriate, the States of the Lake Chad Basin region to address the impact of the threat on peace and security, including the political, socioeconomic and humanitarian situation in the subregion. The Council underlines the need for all actions to counter Boko Haram to be conducted in compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law, as applicable.

“The Security Council reiterates its strong condemnation of the appalling attacks, including those that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out by the LRA and other violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights, including the LRA’s recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, killing and maiming, rape, sexual slavery and other sexual violence, and abductions. The Council demands an immediate end to all attacks by the LRA and urges the LRA to release all those abducted, and to disarm and demobilise. The Council welcomes the progress made with regard to ending crimes under international law in Central Africa and reiterates its resolve to maintain the current momentum until a permanent end to the threat posed by the LRA has been achieved.

“The Security Council pays tribute to the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Central Africa and head of UNOCA, Abdoulaye Bathily, and African Union (AU) Special Envoy on the LRA Issue Lieutenant General Jackson Kiprono Tuwei (Rtd.) to strengthen regional cooperation and facilitate continued AU-Regional Task Force (AU-RTF) operations in the region. The Council urges UNOCA, in its coordination role, as well as the United Nations political and peacekeeping missions in the region and other relevant United Nations presences, to enhance their efforts in support of the implementation of the United Nations Regional Strategy to Address the Threat and Impact of the Activities of the LRA (the United Nations strategy), as appropriate and within the limits of their mandates and capacities. The Council encourages the Secretary-General to optimize UNOCA’s efforts in this regard, including through the use of staff and provision of support to counter-LRA efforts.

“The Security Council urges the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), and the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), as relevant and in accordance with their mandates, to cooperate, coordinate, and share information related to the regional threat of the LRA in a timely manner, and to share relevant information with Governments of States of the region, with non-governmental organizations and relevant partners, to enhance cross-border cooperation in order to better anticipate and respond to LRA movements. The Council emphasizes the need for operational coordination and information-sharing between the AU-RTF and all relevant United Nations and African Union missions, in the context of their protection of civilians activities, human rights monitoring, implementation of disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement (DDRRR) programmes, and counter-LRA operations, as appropriate and in accordance with their mandates.

“The Security Council urges MONUSCO and MINUSCA, and other United Nations actors in the LRA-affected region, to continue to work with regional forces, national Governments, international actors and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate, to develop a common approach to the promotion of defections and support for DDRRR efforts across the LRA-affected area. The Council highlights the importance of programmes in encouraging defections and in support of the release, return and successful reintegration of women, children, and men abducted by the LRA, in particular those that target community acceptance of such individuals, in particular children.

“The Council commends the significant progress made by the AU-RTF and its troop contributing countries, and pays tribute to the important role played by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces in tackling the LRA threat. The Council notes the importance of continued regional and international support for the AU-RTF’s operations, logistics, and headquarters. In this regard, the Council welcomes the continued advisory and logistical support provided by the United States as well as funding provided by the European Union. The Council underlines the primary responsibility of States in the LRA-affected region to protect civilians. The Council underlines the need for all military action against the LRA to be conducted in compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law, as applicable, and to minimize the risk of harm to civilians in all areas of operation and to take into account the association of children with the LRA. The Council also reiterates its encouragement to deploy child protection advisers within the AU-RTF.

“The Security Council expresses concern that the LRA continues to pose a regional security threat, particularly in CAR and DRC. The Council calls upon the affected States to ensure that the LRA does not find safe haven in their territory, in accordance with international law. The Council takes note that the presence of some senior LRA leaders in the disputed Kafia Kingi enclave, on the border between CAR, South Sudan and Sudan, continues to be reported. The Council takes note that the Government of Sudan has denied this. The Council welcomes the invitation extended to the African Union to verify reports of LRA presence in Kafia Kingi, and urges the African Union Commission and the African Union Peace and Security Council to verify the allegations. The Council expresses its continued concern that the gravity of the national crisis in the CAR and strongly condemns the LRA’s opportunistic cooperation in CAR with other armed groups, including some ex-Séléka combatants.

“The Security Council notes that the number of deaths for which the LRA was responsible decreased from 76 civilian deaths in 2013 to 36 deaths in 2014, but that the number of abductions in CAR and eastern DRC significantly increased to several hundreds. The Council expresses its concern at the increase in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA’s) estimate of the number of people displaced by the LRA threat from 131,090 in September 2014 to 180,000 in December 2014. The Council commends efforts by international donors to provide humanitarian assistance to LRA-affected populations in the CAR, the DRC and the Republic of South Sudan, but notes with concern that renewed efforts are urgently needed to provide humanitarian assistance to LRA-affected populations. The Council reaffirms its call for all parties to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, consistent with the relevant provisions of international law and the United Nations guiding principles of humanitarian assistance.

“The Security Council welcomes the steps taken to deliver an enhanced, comprehensive, and more regional approach to the humanitarian situation, including assistance to victims of sexual violence and other attacks, and urges further progress in this regard.

“The Security Council reiterates its call for the swift and full implementation of the conclusions of the working group on children and armed conflict concerning the situation of children and armed conflict affected by the LRA. In this regard, the Council encourages those countries affected by the LRA which have not yet done so to establish Standard Operating Procedures for the reception and handover of LRA children to civilian child protection actors.

“The Security Council encourages donors to increase funding for early recovery projects to help affected communities restore stability and rebuild their livelihoods as the LRA threat begins to recede. The Council requests that UNOCA work with the African Union, World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other international experts to develop a development framework for international efforts to promote the long-term stabilization of formerly LRA-affected areas in South Sudan, the DRC, and the CAR, including through early recovery projects and programs to strengthen community cohesion.

“The Security Council welcomes the transfer of Dominic Ongwen to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague in January 2015. The Council expresses its appreciation to all those who cooperated in this effort, notably the governments of Uganda, CAR and the United States, as well as the African Union, MINUSCA, and the International Criminal Court. The Council recalls that International Criminal Court arrest warrants have yet to be executed for other LRA leaders, including Joseph Kony, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, cruel treatment, intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population and forced enlistment of children, and calls upon all States to cooperate with relevant national Governments and the International Criminal Court, in accordance with their respective obligations, in order to execute those warrants, and to bring to justice those responsible.

“The Security Council expresses its concern at the link between illicit trafficking in wildlife and natural resources and financing of armed groups in the subregion, including the LRA, and, in this regard, encourages UNOCA to continue to support the development of a coherent and concerted subregional approach to address this disturbing phenomenon.

“The Security Council commends UNOCA’s support for regional anti-piracy efforts, in cooperation with UNOWA, to address maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea that continues to affect States of Central and West Africa. The Council encourages UNOCA to continue to assist the region in implementing the decisions of the Yaoundé summit, and in the establishment of a regional information-sharing architecture.

“The Security Council welcomes the recommendations of the Strategic Assessment Review conducted in March 2015. In particular, the Council notes the recommendation that UNOCA focus on areas of work in which the Office has recognized strengths and a comparative advantage, including in the four areas of: good offices, preventive diplomacy and mediation; supporting United Nations, regional, and subregional initiatives on peace and security; enhancing United Nations coherence and coordination in the subregion; and advising the Secretary-General and United Nations entities in the region on significant peace and security developments in Central Africa.

“The Security Council requests that the Secretary-General keep it informed through a report on the situation in Central Africa and UNOCA’s activities to be submitted before 30 November 2015 and every six months thereafter, on the activities of UNOCA, progress made in conducting assessments of the LRA’s evolving area of operations and logistical and support networks, and the efforts being undertaken respectively by missions in the region and relevant United Nations agencies to implement the United Nations Regional Strategy.”

For information media. Not an official record.

CS/11925

7461e séance – matin
CONSEIL DE SÉCURITÉ
COUVERTURE DES RÉUNIONS

Dans une déclaration présidentielle adoptée ce matin, le Conseil de sécurité s’est déclaré préoccupé par les graves problèmes de sécurité que connaissent certaines parties d’Afrique centrale relevant de la responsabilité du Bureau régional des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique centrale (BRENUAC), en particulier la crise en cours en République centrafricaine et ses répercussions sur la région, la persistance de la menace constituée par l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur (LRA) et la poursuite des activités terroristes perpétrées par Boko Haram dans les pays de la sous-région.

Dans le texte de cette déclaration, qui sera publié sous la cote S/PRST/2015/12, le Conseil se dit également préoccupé par l’insécurité maritime qui règne dans le golfe de Guinée, le commerce illicite d’espèces sauvages et la criminalité transnationale organisée, et il souligne en outre que les prochaines élections devant avoir lieu dans la région doivent être organisées dans les délais, de manière transparente et ouverte, conformément à la constitution des pays concernés, et engage le BRENUAC à continuer d’aider les États à cet égard, notamment par la promotion de la participation des femmes à la vie politique.

Face aux membres du Conseil de sécurité, le Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général et Chef du Bureau régional des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique centrale, M. Abdoulaye Bathily, a présenté le rapport du Secrétaire général sur la situation en Afrique centrale et les activités du Bureau régional des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique centrale. Il ressort notamment de ce document que l’Afrique centrale est marquée par des tensions préélectorales croissantes; une crise économique aggravée due à la chute des prix du brut pétrolier qui affecte les pays producteurs de la région; un chômage des jeunes à la hausse; des activités terroristes perpétrées notamment par Boko Haram et l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur (LRA); ainsi que par l’impact transfrontalier des crises dans un certain nombre de pays de la région tels que la République centrafricaine (RCA) et le Burundi.

En RCA, M. Bathily a relevé que la crise qui touche le pays continue d’avoir des conséquences régionales et multidimensionnelles, avec pas moins de 500 000 réfugiés; de graves violations des droits de l’homme; la prolifération des armes légères et de petit calibre; la croissance de la criminalité liée aux gangs; et la dégradation de l’environnement dans les zones où se trouvent les réfugiés.

Il a indiqué qu’au cours du Forum de Bangui sur la réconciliation nationale, qui a eu lieu en mai dernier, un certain nombre de documents ont été adoptés, notamment le Pacte républicain pour la paix, la réconciliation nationale et la reconstruction en République centrafricaine, ainsi qu’un accord sur le désarmement, la démobilisation et la réintégration (DDR). M. Bathily a estimé que ces résultats doivent maintenant être capitalisés, notamment par la mobilisation des ressources nécessaires pour l’organisation des élections et par la mise en place du processus de DDR.

Dans la déclaration présidentielle, le Conseil de sécurité a aussi condamné avec la plus grande fermeté les attaques terroristes menées par Boko Haram depuis 2009, qui ont entraîné d’immenses et tragiques pertes en vies humaines et mettent en péril la paix et la stabilité en Afrique de l’Ouest et en Afrique centrale. Le Conseil s’est félicité des avancées enregistrées récemment par les États de la région contre Boko Haram, et il les a exhortés à resserrer davantage la coopération et la coordination militaires sur le plan régional afin de pouvoir combattre plus efficacement et plus rapidement ce mouvement terroriste, ceci, dans le respect du droit international.

Il s’est par ailleurs félicité à cet égard de l’action menée dans la région pour mettre en place une force d’intervention multinationale conjointe et a encouragé fermement la coordination en cours entre la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique centrale (CEEAC) et la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) pour tenir en échec Boko Haram. Il a souligné la nécessité d’adopter une démarche globale pour écarter une fois pour toutes la menace que fait peser l’organisation Boko Haram sur la région.

À cet égard, a déclaré le Représentant spécial, le déploiement des troupes tchadiennes sur la ligne frontalière entre le Nigéria et le Cameroun et l’inauguration du quartier général de la Force multinationale de lutte contre Boko Haram sont des signes qui démontrent le renforcement de la coopération entre États dans cette lutte. M. Bathily a aussi souligné que tout en continuant la lutte militaire contre Boko Haram, il serait aussi opportun de penser à la phase de stabilisation afin de sécuriser les gains acquis grâce aux opérations militaires.

Aux termes de la déclaration présidentielle de ce jour, le Conseil de sécurité a aussi condamné de nouveau fermement les attaques effroyables commises par la LRA, dont celles qui sont susceptibles de constituer des crimes de guerre et des crimes contre l’humanité. Le Conseil a aussi fermement condamné les violations du droit international humanitaire et les atteintes aux droits de l’homme perpétrées par la LRA.

Le Conseil de sécurité a engagé la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine (MINUSCA), la Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO) et l’Opération hybride Union africaine-Nations Unies au Darfour (MINUAD), agissant selon qu’il conviendra, dans les limites de leur mandat, à coopérer et à échanger en temps utile toutes les informations relatives à la menace que la LRA fait peser sur la région d’Afrique centrale et à échanger des informations pertinentes avec les gouvernements des pays de la région. Il a en outre souligné que toutes les opérations militaires menées contre la LRA doivent l’être dans le respect du droit international applicable.

Le Conseil a par ailleurs demandé instamment à la MONUSCO, à la MINUSCA et aux autres entités des Nations Unies présentes dans la région où sévit la LRA de continuer de s’employer, avec les forces régionales, les autorités nationales, les protagonistes internationaux et les organisations non gouvernementales, selon qu’il conviendra, à arrêter une stratégie commune d’encouragement des défections et d’appui aux activités de désarmement, démobilisation, réintégration et réinstallation ou rapatriement dans toute la zone où sévit la LRA.

Le Conseil de sécurité s’est félicité du transfèrement de Dominic Ongwen à la Cour pénale internationale (CPI) de La Haye en janvier 2015, et il a rappelé que les mandats d’arrêt décernés par la CPI contre d’autres chefs de la LRA, dont Joseph Kony, pour crimes de guerre et crimes contre l’humanité (meurtres, viols, traitements cruels, attaques visant délibérément les populations civiles, enrôlement forcé d’enfants) n’ont pas encore été exécutés. Le Conseil demande donc à tous les États de coopérer avec les autorités nationales compétentes et la Cour.

Par la déclaration présidentielle adoptée et lue ce jour, le Conseil de sécurité s’est par ailleurs félicité du concours que le BRENUAC apporte, en collaboration avec le Bureau du Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest (BRSAO), aux activités régionales de lutte contre la piraterie menées pour remédier à l’insécurité maritime dans le golfe de Guinée, qui continue de porter préjudice aux États d’Afrique centrale et d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Le Conseil a engagé le BRENUAC à continuer d’aider la région à appliquer les décisions prises au sommet de Yaoundé et à mettre en place un dispositif régional d’échange d’informations.

M. Bathily a pour sa part relevé que la criminalité transfrontalière organisée reste active dans la région d’Afrique centrale, et il s’est félicité de la signature récente d’un mémorandum d’accord entre l’Office des Nations Unies contre la drogue et le crime (ONUDC) et la CEEAC, ce qui va permettre au BRENUAC d’assister les pays de la région dans la lutte contre le braconnage.

Il a ensuite, sur une note plus positive, salué le fait que les dirigeants de la région, réunis le 6 mai dernier pour un sommet de la Communauté économique et monétaire de l’Afrique centrale (CEMAC), ont décidé de mettre en œuvre le principe de la libre circulation des personnes dans les six pays de la CEMAC (Cameroun, République centrafricaine, République du Congo, Gabon, Guinée équatoriale, Tchad), marquant ainsi une étape dans le processus d’intégration de la région. Il s’est également félicité du fait que les chefs d’États de la CEEAC (Angola, Burundi, Cameroun, République centrafricaine, République du Congo, République démocratique du Congo, Gabon, Guinée équatoriale, Rwanda, Sao Tomé-et-Principe, Tchad) aient désigné un Envoyé spécial pour le Burundi et la région des Grands Lacs afin d’intercéder auprès des parties burundaises pour qu’elles résolvent leurs différends de manière pacifique.

Enfin, le Représentant spécial a souligné que le rapport du Secrétaire général qu’il a présenté dresse également un bilan du fonctionnement du BRENUAC depuis sa mise en place il y a cinq ans.

\*S/2015/339

RÉGION DE L’AFRIQUE CENTRALE

Rapport du Secrétaire général sur la situation en Afrique centrale et les activités du Bureau régional des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique centrale (S/2015/339)

Déclaration présidentielle

Le Conseil de sécurité se déclare préoccupé par les graves problèmes de sécurité que connaissent certaines parties d’Afrique centrale relevant de la responsabilité du Bureau régional des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique centrale (BRENUAC), en particulier la crise en cours en République centrafricaine et ses répercussions sur la région, la persistance de la menace constituée par l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur (LRA) et la poursuite des activités terroristes perpétrées par Boko Haram dans les pays de la sous-région. Il demeure également préoccupé par l’insécurité maritime qui règne dans le golfe de Guinée, le commerce illicite d’espèces sauvages et la criminalité transnationale organisée. Il se félicite des élections locales, législatives et présidentielle qui se sont tenues dans la sous-région, souligne que les prochaines élections devant avoir lieu dans la région doivent être organisées dans les délais, de manière transparente et ouverte, conformément à la constitution des pays concernés, et engage le BRENUAC à continuer d’aider les États à cet égard, notamment par la promotion de la participation des femmes à la vie politique.

Le Conseil salue le rôle que jouent les chefs d’État de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique centrale (CEEAC) dans la médiation internationale menée en République centrafricaine sous la direction du Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général, Abdoulaye Bathily. Il salue les démarches diplomatiques entreprises par ce dernier, aux côtés du Médiateur de la CEEAC, le Président de la République du Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, de l’Envoyé spécial de l’Union africaine pour la République centrafricaine, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, et du Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général pour la République centrafricaine, le général de corps d’armée en retraite, Babacar Gaye. Il se félicite tout particulièrement de la tenue, du 4 au 11 mai, du Forum de Bangui sur la réconciliation nationale, présidé par le Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général, et des textes qui en sont issus. Il l’encourage ainsi que son bureau à continuer d’appuyer la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine (MINUSCA) ainsi que la transition en République centrafricaine dans le cadre de la médiation internationale. Il souligne qu’il importe au plus haut point d’appliquer effectivement le régime des sanctions imposées par la résolution 2127 (2013) et que les États de la région, ainsi que les organisations régionales et sous-régionales, peuvent jouer un rôle essentiel à cet égard.

Le Conseil condamne avec la plus grande fermeté les attaques terroristes menées par Boko Haram depuis 2009, qui ont entraîné d’immenses et tragiques pertes en vies humaines et mettent en péril la paix et la stabilité en Afrique de l’Ouest et en Afrique centrale. En particulier, il condamne fermement l’intensification des attaques perpétrées par le groupe terroriste au Nigéria, le long de la frontière entre le Nigéria et le Cameroun, dans les provinces septentrionales du Cameroun et près de la frontière entre le Nigéria et le Tchad. Il constate avec préoccupation que les activités de Boko Haram continuent d’avoir des conséquences néfastes sur le plan humanitaire en Afrique de l’Ouest et en Afrique centrale et qu’elles ont notamment poussé quelque 74 000 Nigérians à fuir vers le Cameroun voisin et fait 96 000 déplacés au Cameroun, 20 000 réfugiés nigérians au Tchad, dont 8 500 sont retournés chez eux, et 14 500 déplacés au Nigéria.

Le Conseil se félicite des avancées enregistrées récemment par les États de la région contre Boko Haram et se félicite de la bravoure des troupes qui ont participé aux combats. Il souligne que cette organisation représente une menace constante pour la paix et la stabilité dans la région. Il exhorte les États de la région à resserrer davantage la coopération et la coordination militaires sur le plan régional afin de pouvoir la combattre plus efficacement et plus rapidement, dans le respect du droit international. Il se félicite à cet égard de l’action menée dans la région pour mettre en place une force d’intervention multinationale conjointe et encourage fermement la coordination en cours entre la CEEAC et la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) pour tenir en échec Boko Haram. Il souligne la nécessité d’adopter une démarche globale pour écarter une fois pour toutes la menace que fait peser cette organisation sur la région. Il encourage les partenaires à accroître l’assistance à la sécurité apportée aux pays membres de la Commission du bassin du lac Tchad et au Bénin et à étendre l’aide humanitaire à tous ceux qui pâtissent dans la région des activités de Boko Haram. Il demande au BRENUAC de poursuivre sa collaboration avec le Bureau des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest (BRSAO) afin d’aider, selon qu’il conviendra, les États de la région du bassin du lac Tchad à remédier aux effets de cette menace sur la paix et la sécurité, notamment la situation politique, socioéconomique et humanitaire de la sous-région. Il souligne que toutes les mesures prises contre Boko Haram doivent être conformes aux dispositions applicables du droit international humanitaire, du droit international des droits de l’homme et du droit international des réfugiés.

Le Conseil condamne de nouveau fermement les attaques effroyables commises par la LRA, dont celles susceptibles de constituer des crimes de guerre et des crimes contre l’humanité, ainsi que les violations du droit international humanitaire et les atteintes aux droits de l’homme perpétrées par la LRA, y compris le recrutement et l’emploi d’enfants en période de conflit armé, les meurtres, les mutilations, les viols, l’esclavage sexuel et autres violences sexuelles et enlèvements qui lui sont imputables. Il exige de la LRA qu’elle mette immédiatement fin à toutes ses attaques et lui demande instamment de libérer tous ceux qu’elle a enlevés ainsi que de désarmer et de démobiliser ses éléments. Il accueille avec satisfaction les progrès accomplis pour mettre fin aux crimes commis au regard du droit international en Afrique centrale et se dit de nouveau résolu à tenir le cap jusqu’à ce qu’il soit mis fin, une fois pour toutes, à la menace que représente la LRA.

Le Conseil rend hommage aux efforts menés par le Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général pour l’Afrique centrale et Chef du BRENUAC, Abdoulaye Bathily, et par l’Envoyé spécial de l’Union africaine pour l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur, le général de corps d’armée en retraite, Jackson Kiprono Tuwei, afin de resserrer la coopération sur le plan régional et de faciliter la poursuite des opérations dans la zone de la Force régionale d’intervention de l’Union africaine. Il demande instamment au BRENUAC, agissant dans le cadre de son rôle de coordination, ainsi qu’aux missions politiques, missions de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies et autres entités des Nations Unies présentes dans la région de redoubler d’efforts pour appliquer la Stratégie régionale des Nations Unies visant à contrer la menace que représente la LRA et à remédier aux effets de ses activités (« Stratégie régionale des Nations Unies »), selon qu’il conviendra et dans les limites de leur mandat et de leurs moyens. Il engage le Secrétaire général à optimiser l’action du BRENUAC dans ce domaine, notamment en mettant du personnel et d’autres moyens d’appui au service de la lutte contre la LRA.

Le Conseil engage la MINUSCA, la Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO) et l’Opération hybride Union africaine-Nations Unies au Darfour (MINUAD), agissant selon qu’il conviendra, dans les limites de leur mandat, à coopérer et à échanger en temps utile toutes les informations relatives à la menace que la LRA fait peser sur la région et à échanger des informations pertinentes avec les gouvernements de la région, les organisations non gouvernementales et les partenaires concernés, en vue de renforcer la coopération transfrontalière et de mieux anticiper et contrer les mouvements de la LRA. Il souligne que la Force d’intervention régionale et toutes les missions de l’ONU et de l’Union africaine concernées doivent, selon qu’il conviendra et dans les limites de leur mandat, coordonner leurs opérations et échanger des informations dans le cadre de la protection des activités des civils, de contrôle du respect des droits de l’homme, d’exécution des programmes de désarmement, démobilisation, réintégration et réinstallation ou rapatriement, et de lutte contre la LRA.

Le Conseil demande instamment à la MONUSCO, à la MINUSCA et aux autres entités des Nations Unies présentes dans la région où sévit la LRA de continuer de s’employer, avec les forces régionales, les autorités nationales, les protagonistes internationaux et les organisations non gouvernementales, selon qu’il conviendra, à arrêter une stratégie commune d’encouragement des défections et d’appui aux activités de désarmement, démobilisation, réintégration et réinstallation ou rapatriement dans toute la zone où sévit la LRA. Il souligne l’importance des programmes visant à encourager les défections et à favoriser la libération, le retour et la réinsertion des femmes, des enfants et des hommes enlevés par la LRA, en particulier ceux qui ont pour objet de faciliter l’accueil par les populations de ces personnes et notamment les enfants.

Le Conseil se félicite des progrès considérables accomplis par la Force régionale d’intervention de l’Union africaine et les pays qui lui fournissent des contingents et salue le rôle important joué par les Forces de défense populaires de l’Ouganda dans la lutte contre la LRA. Il note qu’il importe que la Force régionale d’intervention continue de bénéficier d’un soutien régional et international au titre de ses opérations, de ses moyens logistiques et de son quartier général. À ce propos, il accueille avec satisfaction l’appui consultatif et le soutien logistique que continuent d’apporter les États-Unis et les fonds que fournit l’Union européenne. Il souligne qu’il incombe au premier chef aux États de protéger les civils dans les régions où sévit la LRA. Il souligne également que toutes les opérations militaires menées contre la LRA doivent l’être dans le respect du droit international applicable, y compris le droit international humanitaire, le droit des droits de l’homme et le droit des réfugiés, avec le souci de réduire au minimum le risque de causer du tort aux civils des régions concernées, compte tenu du fait que des enfants sont associés à la LRA. Il préconise le déploiement de conseillers pour la protection de l’enfance au sein de la Force régionale d’intervention de l’Union africaine.

Le Conseil s’inquiète de ce que la LRA continue de menacer la sécurité de la région, tout particulièrement en République centrafricaine et en République démocratique du Congo. Il engage tous les États où sévit la LRA à faire en sorte que ses éléments ne trouvent pas refuge sur leur territoire, dans le respect du droit international. Il note que la présence de hauts dirigeants de la LRA continue d’être signalée dans l’enclave contestée de Kafia Kingi, à la frontière entre la République centrafricaine, le Soudan du Sud et le Soudan. Il prend note des dénégations du Gouvernement soudanais à cet égard. Il se félicite que l’Union africaine ait été invitée à vérifier les informations faisant état d’une présence de la LRA à Kafia Kingi et engage la Commission et le Conseil de paix et de sécurité de l’Union africaine à déterminer ce qu’il en est. Il demeure préoccupé par la gravité de la crise nationale qui secoue la République centrafricaine et condamne vigoureusement la coopération de circonstance qui s’est nouée dans ce pays entre la LRA et d’autres groupes armés, notamment des combattants de l’ex-Séléka.

Le Conseil note que le nombre de décès pour lesquels la LRA porte la responsabilité a baissé, passant de 76 en 2013 à 36 en 2014, mais que le nombre d’enlèvements en République centrafricaine et dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo a considérablement augmenté, atteignant plusieurs centaines. Il constate avec inquiétude que le Bureau de la coordination des affaires humanitaires a revu à la hausse, à cause de la menace que représente la LRA, le nombre de personnes déplacées, qui est passé de 131 090 en septembre 2014 à 180 000 en décembre 2014. Il se félicite de l’aide humanitaire apportée par les donateurs internationaux aux populations vivant dans les zones où sévit la LRA en République centrafricaine, en République démocratique du Congo et au Soudan du Sud, mais constate avec préoccupation qu’il faut de toute urgence redoubler d’efforts pour que ces populations reçoivent l’aide humanitaire dont elles ont besoin. Il invite de nouveau toutes les parties à autoriser l’accès en toute sécurité et en toute liberté des organismes humanitaires à ces populations, conformément aux dispositions applicables du droit international humanitaire et aux principes directeurs des Nations Unies concernant l’aide humanitaire.

Le Conseil se félicite des mesures prises pour mieux gérer la situation humanitaire, y compris l’assistance aux victimes de violences sexuelles et d’autres atteintes, selon une perspective régionale plus globale, et demande instamment que davantage de progrès soient faits sur ce plan.

Le Conseil demande à nouveau qu’il soit rapidement donné suite à toutes les conclusions du Groupe de travail sur le sort des enfants en temps de conflit armé relatives à la situation des enfants victimes de la LRA. À cet égard, il engage ceux des pays dans lesquels sévit la LRA, qui ne l’ont pas encore fait, à arrêter des directives pour la prise en charge des enfants rescapés de la LRA et leur remise à des organismes civils de protection de l’enfance.

Le Conseil invite les donateurs à accroître le financement des projets de relèvement rapide destinés à aider les populations touchées à rétablir la stabilité et à retrouver leurs moyens d’existence à mesure que s’éloigne la menace de la LRA. Il demande au BRENUAC de collaborer, avec l’Union africaine, la Banque mondiale, le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement, le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance et d’autres organismes internationaux spécialisés, à l’élaboration d’un cadre de développement qui oriente l’action internationale menée en faveur de la stabilisation à long terme des zones où sévissait précédemment la LRA au Soudan du Sud, en République démocratique du Congo et en République centrafricaine, notamment l’exécution de projets et programmes de relèvement rapide visant à renforcer la cohésion des communautés.

Le Conseil se félicite du transfèrement de Dominic Ongwen à la Cour pénale internationale de La Haye en janvier 2015. Il remercie tous ceux qui ont coopéré à cet égard, notamment les Gouvernements ougandais, centrafricain et américain, ainsi que l’Union africaine, la MINUSCA et la Cour. Il rappelle que les mandats d’arrêt décernés par celle-ci contre d’autres chefs de la LRA, dont Joseph Kony, pour crimes de guerre et crimes contre l’humanité (meurtres, viols, traitements cruels, attaques visant délibérément les populations civiles, enrôlement forcé d’enfants) n’ont pas encore été exécutés, et demande à tous les États de coopérer avec les autorités nationales compétentes et la Cour, conformément à leurs obligations respectives, afin que ces mandats soient mis à exécution et les responsables traduits en justice.

Le Conseil s’inquiète des liens qui existent entre le trafic d’espèces sauvages et de ressources naturelles et le financement des groupes armés opérant dans la sous-région, dont la LRA, et engage à cet égard le BRENUAC à continuer d’appuyer l’élaboration de solutions cohérentes et concertées à ce phénomène troublant à l’échelle de la sous-région.

Le Conseil se félicite du concours que le BRENUAC apporte, en collaboration avec le BRSAO, aux activités régionales de lutte contre la piraterie menées pour remédier à l’insécurité maritime dans le golfe de Guinée, qui continue de porter préjudice aux États d’Afrique centrale et d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Il l’engage à continuer d’aider la région à appliquer les décisions prises au sommet de Yaoundé et à mettre en place un dispositif régional d’échange d’informations.

Le Conseil se félicite des recommandations issues de l’évaluation stratégique menée en mars 2015. Il prend note, en particulier, de la recommandation tendant à ce que le BRENUAC se concentre sur les domaines d’activités dans lesquels celui-ci présente des atouts reconnus et un avantage comparatif, notamment les quatre domaines suivants: bons offices, diplomatie préventive et médiation; appui aux initiatives menées par les organismes des Nations Unies et les organisations régionales et sous-régionales en matière de paix et de sécurité; renforcement de la cohérence et de la coordination de l’action de l’ONU dans la sous-région; et prestation de conseils au Secrétaire général et aux entités des Nations Unies présentes dans la région sur les faits marquants intervenant en matière de paix et de sécurité en Afrique centrale.

Le Conseil prie le Secrétaire général de le tenir informé, dans le cadre d’un rapport sur la situation en Afrique centrale et les activités du BRENUAC devant être présenté avant le 30 novembre 2015 et tous les six mois par la suite, des activités du BRENUAC, des progrès faits dans l’évaluation de la zone d’opérations de la LRA et de ses réseaux de soutien logistique et d’appui, qui évoluent constamment, ainsi que des activités menées par les missions déployées dans la région et les autres organismes compétents des Nations Unies aux fins de l’application de la Stratégie régionale des Nations Unies.

À l’intention des organes d’information • Document non officiel.

Bamako, Mali | AFP | Friday 6/12/2015 - 02:17 GMT |

Malian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to adopt new Prime Minister Modibo Keita's government programme on Friday as the country looks to establish a lasting peace deal after years of unrest.

The west African nation remains divided among rival armed factions, plagued by drug trafficking and infiltrated by jihadist groups, but its main Tuareg-led rebel faction is due to sign a peace deal next week.

Keita's programme, which focuses on the safety of people and goods, improving living conditions and pushing for justice, was approved by 116 MPs, with 16 voting against.

Keita, who has been leading peace negotiations with rebel groups, took over as prime minister in January and presented his programme to Mali's 146-member parliament on Monday.

Opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, however, said he was "sceptical" of Keita's programme, charging that it contained "inaccuracies".

Modibo Keita is the third premier appointed by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (no relation), with his two predecessors both lasting less than a year.

Mali's desert north has struggled to maintain stability since the west African nation gained independence in 1960.

The country descended into chaos in 2012 when an insurgency by Tuareg rebels led to a coup in the capital Bamako. Jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda then overpowered the Tuareg to seize control of the north.

A French-led military operation launched in January 2013 drove the extremists out of the region's towns and cities.

But the country remains deeply divided, with the Tuareg and Arab populations of the north accusing sub-Saharan ethnic groups in the more prosperous south of marginalising them.

Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants remain active throughout the north, a vast area the size of France, but attacks outside of the region are rare.

Hopes for peace were boosted last week when the main Tuareg-led rebel movement announced it would sign an agreement to end the conflict in the west African nation on June 20.

ac/cs/psr/erf

© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Over one third of Bank-supported Community-Driven Development (CDD) programs in Africa are in countries affected by fragility and conflict.

• Involving communities helps build trust and deliver services quickly when government capacity is low.

• The Bank is supporting practitioners to share innovations to respond to diverse challenges.

From conflict and coups to locust attacks, drought and displacement, African countries are using community-driven development (CDD) approaches to tackle fragility, finding innovative ways to empower communities and improve lives in hard-to-reach areas.

Practitioners from 14 African government programs exchanged ideas gained from running CDD projects on the ground at a recent workshop in Nairobi. The event was convened by the World Bank’s CDD Global Solutions Group, Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice and supported by the State and Peace-Building Fund.

Why CDD in such difficult circumstances?

“We wanted local communities to be directly engaged, so they would know how to organize themselves for development,” explains Ruphin Bo-elongo Kimuemue, General Coordinator of the Social Fund for the Democratic Republic of Congo. “That is the lasting impact of this intervention, beyond the actual school that is built.”

By tapping into local knowledge and skills, CDD can often fill a capacity gap in countries affected by fragility and conflict.

“CDD doesn’t just produce an output. It improves the capacity of the community to think for themselves, put ideas together, and interact with governments,” explained Oyintonyo Eve Oboro, General Manager, Bayelsa State Community and Social Development Agency, Nigeria.

Bringing communities together to deliver services quickly

One of the benefits that practitioners emphasized was the ability of CDD projects to deliver services quickly under difficult circumstances by involving communities throughout the process.

Following a coup in 2009, Madagascar used CDD for an emergency rice production project in response to drought, flooding, and a locust invasion that struck at the same time. Local community leaders were trained in skills to manage the project, from pesticide use to accounting, and the community took responsibility for irrigation system maintenance by pooling their own money.

“We wanted to make sure that the knowledge and money stays with the community, to continue with the work,” said Lanto Ramaroson, Project Coordinator, Emergency Food Security and Social Protection Project.

At the conference, conflict-affected countries brought insight on building bridges between communities and governments.

After civil war and prolonged insecurity, Cote d’Ivoire needed to establish services in war-torn communities where there was little government presence or trust. For communities divided by conflict, CDD gave people a way to start talking to each other.

“Building infrastructure brought communities together.By showing how to mediate internal conflicts, CDD contributes to conflict resolution,” said Yeo Pefougne, M&E Specialist, Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance Project, Cote d’Ivoire.

With 1.2 million young people unemployed, engaging youth to help rebuild their country was an important goal for Liberia. But older community members saw youth as perpetrators of violence during the conflict and tensions remained.

“We needed to create awareness, so people understood this approach,” said Mack Capehart Mulbah, National Coordinator, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Liberia. Under the CDD project, youth employment and life skills training is being pursued and has helped to bridge the gap between the generations.

Opportunity to strengthen local institutions

For South Sudan – with one of the newest programs on the continent - CDD presents an opportunity to strengthen local institutions.

“This is the first time that the government system is being used. We see this project as the basis of the local government development process,” said Guyson Ad’Kobaa, Project Coordinator for the Local Governance and Service Delivery Project in South Sudan. “Despite the war and falling oil prices, we are building schools and supporting services, so the community is happy.”

Here, feuding communities are coming together to discuss development needs and identify priorities in a transparent manner.

“They emerge with a much better way to look at their problems. When they are able to articulate visions and goals, the selfishness starts to melt,” says Judith Omondi, Community Engagement Specialist, Local Governance and Service Delivery Project, South Sudan.

Practitioners from Nigeria were interested in hearing about how to use CDD in post-conflict situations, confronted with the need to address problems in communities experiencing displacement in the aftermath of Boko Haram.

“We did not have conflict when we started the project, people who were internally displaced are coming back to their communities with so many new problems,” said Goni Baba Gana, General Manager, Yobe State Agency for Community and Social Development, Nigeria. “We may need to call on NGOs who are experts in taking care of the mindset of those that were affected.”

“There is a whole range of contexts,” observed Omondi, the South Sudan community engagement specialist, who recently started working on CDD. “We need to take into account diversity, yet with a common theme – to make sure communities are participating in decision making, and that their priorities are incorporated.”

POPULATION

18,384 Estimated Nigerian refugees 6,393 refugees in Dar Es Salam camp
14,420 IDPs in the Lake Region

HIGHLIGHTS

• After several attacks of insurgents in Niger and the response by Niger’s armed forces to the attacks on the villages in the Lake over 2,000 Niger nationals fled to Chad. A great number of them concentrated in the city of Karam (about 40 km north of Bagasola) from where transfers to Bagasola and Dar Es Salam camps have started.

• Security restrictions are still in place for all humanitarian activities in the Lake Region. Military escort is required for missions from Bagasola to the many villages on the lake.

• Chadian military have prohibited the transit of civilians in the Lake area. Since the beginning of May, the military have told local populations to move away from the islands displacing over 10,000 locals, Chadian returnees and Nigerian refugees alike.

Summary: 11 June 2015, Strasbourg - The European Union is increasing its support for Burkina Faso's transitional government today with the signing of a €120 million budget support agreement covering a period of 18 months, financed under the 11th European Development Fund. This budget support has been quickly put in place to consolidate the country's democratic gains following the popular uprising at the end of October 2014. Its aim is to promote much-needed political, economic and social stability.

The support will guarantee additional funding for the state budget, which is in deficit in 2015 and has been severely affected by a significant drop in revenues. This funding will be especially useful for maintaining basic public services for the country's population and for organising the elections.

The support will be disbursed in two stages: an initial amount of €70 million in July and a second amount of €50 million at the beginning of 2016.

The two disbursements will be contingent upon fulfilment of the general conditions regarding the continued implementation of the national poverty reduction policy and good public fund management. In addition, special conditions will ensure an emphasis on the independence of the judiciary, transparency and the fight against corruption. The aim is to hand over a healthier state to the next elected government.

EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, stated: ‘The European Union is fully committed to working with the transitional authorities and President Kafando to help strengthen democracy and ensure stability and the necessary conditions for credible and inclusive elections.’

He added: ‘In a fragile context, but with the determination of Burkina Faso's people, our cooperation will also ensure that the achievements of the national poverty reduction policy are maintained and that progress towards the Millennium Development Goals is continued.’

Background

Since the popular uprising of 30 to 31 October 2014 which forced former president Compaoré to resign, Burkina Faso has been in a state of democratic transition. This transition, based on the Transition Charter, has been led by President Michel Kafando. President Kafando was appointed by consensus between all the parties involved in the transition process (political parties, secular and religious civil society organisations, and the army). The President is assisted in his duties by the National Transitional Council, acting as an interim legislative assembly.

Against this backdrop of transition, the economic outlook is bleak with the growth forecast for 2015 revised downwards. This is the result of a reduction in state revenues and a significant financing requirement, which will be met in part by this advance budget support.

The budget support, for which the financing agreement is being signed today, forms part of the sum of €623 million allocated under the 2014-2020 National Indicative Programme (NIP), signed in September 2014 and financed under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The NIP focuses on three areas: good governance, health and food and nutrition security. Its main objectives are to contribute to halving the number of people living in extreme poverty, reducing by two thirds the rate of malnutrition among children below the age of five and halving the percentage of the population with no access to drinking water and sanitation.

In addition to this budget support, technical assistance totalling €5.5 million financed by the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace will support the Independent National Electoral Commission, civil society and the media in organising and monitoring the forthcoming elections.

The European Union's support under the 10th EDF, amounting to more than €692 million, delivered encouraging results. Between 2009 and 2013, 14% more girls attended school, the rate of malnourished children decreased by 20% and almost 8 million additional people had access to drinking water in rural areas.

Ref: EC15-117EN

Here are ten facts that shed light on the hunger situation in Somalia. Please help the World Food Programme (WFP) raise awareness by sharing these important facts on Twitter.

1) Over two decades of conflict have left 1.1 million Somalis displaced in their own country, and almost a million as refugees in neighbouring countries. High food prices, combined with frequent droughts and floods have compounded poverty and continue to threaten livelihoods.

2) Somalia has an estimated population of 12 million. About 82 percent of Somalis are poor across multiple dimensions (health, education, standard of living). Overall, 73 percent of Somalis live on under US$2 per day.

3) A famine in part of Southern Somalia in 2011 killed a quarter of a million people. This was the first time a famine had been declared in the Horn of Africa region in nearly thirty years.

4) Life expectancy in Somalia is 51 years old, up from 47 in 2001.

5) Somalia has chronically high malnutrition rates; one in eight children under five is acutely malnourished. WFP’s nutrition programmes aim to treat and prevent acute malnutrition in young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

6) Right now, close to one million people are in need of emergency food assistance. An additional two million people are struggling to meet their basic food needs and risk falling into a food security and nutrition crisis if they don’t receive sustained humanitarian assistance.

7) Somalia has one of the world’s lowest enrolment rates for primary school‐aged children - 42 percent of children are in school. Of those, only 36 percent are girls. WFP is providing school meals to relieve hunger and boost enrolment rates, particular of girls by providing take-home family rations for girls attending schools to incentivise parents.

8) Young people in Somalia (14 to 29-year-olds) make up 42 percent of the population. The unemployment rate for youth is 67 percent - one of the highest rates in the world. WFP’s Food-for-Training programmes provide vocational training for vulnerable people, equipping them with skills needed to enter the job market.

9) Somalia is frequently ranked as one of the worst places to be a woman. In 2014, Somalia came bottom of the global rankings in terms of maternal health, child mortality, education and levels of women's income and political status.

10) WFP started operating in Somalia in 1967, focusing on rural agricultural development and school feeding projects. The onset of conflict escalated humanitarian needs and WFP expanded its programmes. In 2015, WFP plans to provide food assistance for relief, nutrition, and social safety net for 1.9 million of the most vulnerable Somalis, despite the security challenges and risk involved.

Sources:

[1] UNHCR: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e483ad6.html

[2] UNHCR http://data.unhcr.org/horn-of-africa/regional.php

[3] UNFPA Estimated Population Survey 2013 http://countryoffice.unfpa.org/somalia/?publications=8450

[4] UNDP Somalia Human Development Report (UNDP HDR 2012) http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/HDR/Arab%20States/HDR-Somalia-Factsheet-2012-E.pdf

[5] Mortality among populations of southern and central Somalia affected by severe food insecurity and famine during 2010-2012 http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Somalia_Mortality_Estimates_Final_Report_1May2013.pdf

[6] UNDP HDR 2012

[7] FEWSNET report http://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/somalia-food-security-outlook-april-september-2015

[8] FSNAU: http://www.fsnau.org/in-focus/fsnau-fews-net-technical-release-january-29-2015

[9] UNICEF Go-2-School campaign: http://www.unicef.org/somalia/SOM_resources_gotoschool.pdf

[10] UNDP Somalia Human Development Report (UNDP HDR 2012) http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/HDR/Arab%20States/HDR-Somalia-Factsheet-2012-E.pdf

Learn more about hunger and malnutrition from WFP's comprehensive list of Facts About Hunger and Malnutrition.

La MINUSMA condamne avec vigueur la lâche attaque terroriste perpétrée contre les postes militaires et de sécurité maliennes de Misséni, cercle de Kadiolo, au sud du Mali.

Le bilan de l’attaque qui a eu lieu tôt hier matin le 10 juin, est de un mort et deux blessés parmi les Forces Armées maliennes, ainsi que des dégâts matériels.

La MINUSMA présente ses condoléances au Gouvernement et aux Forces Armées maliennes ainsi qu’à la famille du soldat. Elle souhaite un prompt rétablissement aux deux soldats blessés.

La MINUSMA souligne encore une fois l’urgence de faire avancer le processus de paix aux fins d’assurer que le Gouvernement et les parties prenantes conjuguent leurs efforts et agissent à l'unisson pour parer au défi terroriste qui menace le Mali et son peuple.

Funds Sent To: Relief Services and Development (Ghana)

Amount Sent: US$ 60,000 Date: 10 June, 2015

Details of Response

Emergency: Floods in Ghana

Date of Emergency: June 2015

ACT Requesting Member(s): Relief Services and Development (Ghana)

I. NARRATIVE SUMMARY

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY

Heavy rains for the past week have left most parts of the capital, Accra, its suburbs and other cities flooded. Assessment carried out so far indicates that about 10 districts have experienced the effects of a severe flooding. Affected districts include Accra Metropolis, Ga South Municipal, Adentan Municipality, Cape Coast, Ashaiman Municipal, Kumasi Metropolis, Ho, Ledzorkuku Krowor and Ketu South Municipal.

On June 4, a fuel station in Accra exploded as a result of the floods, leaving an estimated 150 people dead. Deaths have also been confirmed in Adentan, Mallam, Glefe, Kumasi and Odorkor. Many communities have been affected leading to heavy restriction of movement of people. The Achimota substation was affected by the floodwater, leading to an emergency cut in power supply to a number of communities. Damaged personal property has been reported in areas heavily affected. The severe floods-induced disaster has left in its wake the destruction of both public and private buildings and road infrastructure, resulting in a sever disruption to the lives of thousands.

Infrastructure such as road networks, schools and homes in the affected areas have been severely damaged and the debris of the floods has littered most parts of the affected districts. Water supplies to some communities have also been disrupted. Market stalls have also been washed up, destroying foodstuff and other items. The livelihoods of most traders in these areas have been affected since they have lost all their wares. Some households have also lost their stored food. Most complained that their rice and other grains are lost.

The situation has attracted international attention with Leaders from neighboring countries visiting to mourn with the families and the nation. The government through the Ministry of Interior has declared the situation as a national disaster and has called on the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to immediately take urgent steps to preserve lives and properties.

Desperate need for food and clean water among people fleeing armed conflict.

Bamako, June 11, 2015: Thousands of Malian families have fled their homes in recent weeks because of armed conflict and attacks in the northern regions of Timbuktu, Mopti and Gao.

People in Timbuktu have been the most severely affected, with a registered number of more than 53.000 internally displaced people within the region. The crisis has further deteriorated the situation in communities already lacking food due to a poor harvest last year.

This week, CARE sent a shipment of twelve tons of energy cookies, more than 600.000 water purification tablets, cans and tents to Timbuktu.

Amadou Osseni, the CARE emergency assistance coordinator, visited Timbuktu last week.

“The situation is very critical. Displaced people are being hosted by families who do not even have enough food and water for themselves, but the sense of solidarity is very strong in Mali, so people share what little they have until they run out” says Osseni.

“Lack of food is the most critical issue right now. People are mostly farmers and breeders, living in a very fragile area. If they cannot go home in time to produce for next season, lack of food will become even more critical. The rainy season starts in July, so time is running out” says Osseni.

CARE is particularly concerned by the impact on women and children.

“Women are responsible for getting water and food to the household, so their security, dignity and possibilities for coping are of particular concern. CARE's assistance gives priority to women and girls in order to minimize the risk of gender-based violence, which is always a great worry in these kinds of situations” says Osseni.

Highlights

• Humanitarian needs have increased in the region following the movements of populations from the Lake Chad islands to the mainland.

• Water, hygiene and sanitation, health services and non-food items remain the priority needs identified in Bosso.

• OCHA’s Operations Director, John Ging, visited Diffa region on 1 May.

Pendant la soudure (juin-août) – période précédant les récoltes et où les réserves de grain sont épuisées – il est estimé que près d’un ménage sur cinq a besoin d’aide pour assurer sa subsistance. Parmi eux, 410 000 personnes ont besoin d’aide pour se nourrir. Les communautés d’éleveurs dans le nord et le centre du Mali sont dans une situation particulièrement alarmante. Un déficit fourrager et des concentrations inhabituellement élevées de troupeaux en lien avec l’insécurité ambiante ont détérioré l’état du bétail, mettant en péril les moyens de subsistance des communautés pastorales.