Central African Republic

A UN independent expert warns growing human rights violations by armed groups in the Central African Republic risk undermining the December 27 election of the country’s president and National Assembly. The investigator has submitted a searing report of the human rights situation in the CAR to the UN Human Rights Council.

The UN Secretary-General has called for parties in the Central African Republic (CAR) to prioritize national dialogue and consensus-building ahead of elections scheduled to begin in December. 

63-year-old Central African Republic President, Faustin Touadera has announced he will run in the December election in the country. … Meanwhile, uncertainty lingers over whether the elections would be held in the planned time frame, as significant delays have emerged in the organization of the poll including the registration of voters.

[…] Despite the additional challenges set by the current global Corona pandemic, the deployment of the Mission to Bangui was achieved within the planned time limits, as Birgit Loeser, the acting Commander of the currently eleven civilian CSDP Missions, reminded in her videoed greeting to the participants of the inauguration ceremony.

Cameroon is sending hundreds of troops and police to the Central African Republic to protect civilians and build peace ahead of December elections.

Deploying a CSDP mission on the ground is exciting and challenging for the staff members who solve daily multiple challenges - rendered more complex by the global pandemic Covid-19. However, despite the delays in deployment and surprises created by the unforeseen pandemic, the EU Advisory Mission has met expectations on time.

Former Central Africa Republic’s transitional leader Catherine Samba-Panza, who guided the country from 2014 to 2016, has declared she will challenge incumbent President Faustin Archange Touadera in the Dec. 27 election.

Exactly four months ahead of 27 December elections in the Central African Republic, the UN’s Independent expert on human rights in that country has called on all sides – with the support of the international community – to ensure the vote can go ahead smoothly, and will be free and fair.

[…] With a potential run-off vote and National Assembly polling slated for early 2021, he called on armed groups to immediately lay down their arms, as agreed under the 2019 Peace Agreement, to fully cooperate in the conduct of elections - and to respect the results.

In the run-up to the Central African Republic’s (CAR) 27 December 2020 elections, political manoeuvrings have started within both government and the opposition. Former president François Bozizé announced his candidacy after returning to CAR in December 2019, having spent nearly six years in exile. He is believed to still wield significant power on the political scene.