UN Security Council renews mandate for peace keeping mission in CAR

The UN Security Council extended Wednesday November 15 for a year the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) until Nov. 15, 2024.

The extension came under resolution 2709, approved by 14 of the 15 Security Council members bar Russia which abstained.

The resolution also decides that the peacekeeping mission, known by its French acronym as MINUSCA, shall maintain its current personnel level – 14,400 troops and 3,020 police officers.

It also indicated that the Mission’s mandate is designed to advance a multiyear strategic vision to create the political, security and institutional conditions conducive to national reconciliation and durable peace through the implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation and the elimination of the threat posed by armed groups.

Also, as part of priorities, the MINUSCA is tasked to protect civilians, support the extension of State authority, deploy security forces, and preserve territorial integrity; good offices and support the CAR peace process; facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and protect UN personnel, installations, equipment and goods, as well as the security and freedom of movement of UN and associated personnel.

The UN Security Council’s 2149 resolution in 2014 gave birth to the Mission for an initial period until 30 April 2015. The resolution came following internal civil war between factions knows Muslim Séléka (meaning ‘alliance’ in the local Sango language) rebel coalition and Christian anti-Balaka (anti-machete) movement took up arms.

The conflict has caused the death of thousands of people and left more than 2.5 million into a humanitarian crisis.