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Durable peace in Central African Republic achievable

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-10/24/c_137553383.htm

Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-24 04:13:16|Editor: yan

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- A durable peace in the Central African Republic (CAR) is achievable with the action of Central Africans and with the help of the international community, said the top UN envoy in the country on Tuesday.

"Despite the persistent challenges, I am hopeful that we have now established the necessary foundations on which a durable peace can be built," Parfait Onanga-Anyanga told the Security Council.

Such an objective is indeed achievable provided that the region and the international community remain in solidarity with the collective support for the government and people of the CAR, said the envoy, who is also head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country.

The general security situation has been brought under control. Democratic elections have been held and constitutional order has been restored. State authority is re-establishing itself in Bangui and beyond, he said.

But he warned that the country still faces many challenges.

Conflict factors remain and attacks against civilians continue, resulting in massive displacement of the population. Half of the country still needs humanitarian assistance, and the provision of such assistance is becoming increasingly difficult, partly because of the violent attacks on peacekeepers and aid workers, said Onanga-Anyanga.

Together with the Central Africans, the international community must help move the country from a phase of containment to one of transformation, where the dividends of peace can be felt by all communities and all citizens, he said.


The CAR has been in civil war since 2012, which is being fought along religious and ethnic lines, primarily between Christian anti-Balaka militia and Muslim Seleka groups.

 

African Union - European Union relations: joint consultative meeting on peace and security

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/...joint-consultative-meeting-peace-and-security

11th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting of the Political and Security Committee of the European Union and of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union

Brussels, Belgium
23 October 2018

On 23 October 2018, the European Union (EU) Political and Security Committee (EU PSC) and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) held their **11th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting **in Brussels, Belgium as part of their regular dialogue within the framework of the AU – EU partnership. The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Sofie From-Emmesberger, Permanent Chair of the EU PSC and H.E. Ambassador Lazare Makayat Safouesse (Republic of Congo), Chairperson of the AU PSC for the month of October 2018. The Joint Meeting brought together Ambassadors of EU Member States and AU PSC Member States, as well as Senior Officials from the EU External Action Service and Commission, and from the AU Commission.

The Joint Consultative Meeting was preceded by the 4th Joint Retreat of the EU PSC and the AU PSC, held on 22 October 2018, which provided the opportunity for an informal exchange of views on enhanced cooperation on aspects discussed in multilateral fora and sustainable financing of AU-led peace operations authorized by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and on cooperation on conflict prevention and mediation, on following up on the outcome of the 5th AU-EU-Summit in Abidjan in November 2017, the implementation of the AU-EU Memorandum of Understanding on Peace, Security and Governance signed in May 2018.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC underlined the importance of effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order with the United Nations at its core. They acknowledged the importance of strengthened AU-EU-UN cooperation and invited further reflection on how to follow-up on the high-level meeting of AU-EU-UN principals which took place in September, in the margins of the UN General Assembly.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC acknowledged the importance to translate their political cooperation in the area of conflict prevention into concrete initiatives such as joint field visits, joint sessions, developing shared understanding and analysis on crisis situations, as well as investigate avenues for joint early action. They underlined the important role of women and youth as active players in conflict prevention and mediation.

The discussion during the Joint Consultative Meeting focused on progress made on resolving conflict/crisis situations and threats to peace and stability in the Mali/Sahel, the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia and Burundi.

On the situation in Mali and the Sahel, the EU PSC and the AU PSC welcomed the peaceful holding of the presidential elections in Mali which took place on 29 July and 12 August 2018 and called upon all Malian stakeholders to work together to promote sustainable and inclusive peace and development in their country. The EU PSC and AU PSC noted the renewed commitment of the Malian signatory parties to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali signed in 2015 as demonstrated by the signature of a Pact for Peace between Mali and the United Nations on 15 October 2018. However, they expressed concern over the slow implementation of the Agreement, in particular provisions relating to institutional measures, security arrangement and the development for the northern part of the country. They recalled the importance of the Agreement to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation in Mali. In particular, they stressed the need for concrete and urgent progress in the areas of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) of former combatants in order to restore security to the northern region, facilitate the work of the interim authorities and allow for local development, as well as for the return of refugees and displaced persons. They commended the key role of Algeria in supporting the peace process in Mali as Head of the Mediation efforts and as Chair of the Comité de Suivi (CSA), and called for more inclusivity of women and civil society organizations in its implementation. They urged the Malian authorities to work towards a large political and social consensus with a view to undertaking the necessary reforms to tackle Mali's main institutional, security and development challenges, in order to improve the livelihoods of all its citizens, and re-affirmed their willingness to support the Malian Government in these efforts.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC expressed deep concern over the continued extension of terrorist attacks in the Sahel region, spilling over from northern Mali to the centre part of the country and into neighboring countries, and expressed particular concern over the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso. They strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against the civilian populations, the armed and security forces of Mali, the countries of the region, and the international forces of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission for Stabilization in Mali (MINUSMA) and Operation Barkhane. They reiterated their support to MINUSMA and called for further means and capabilities for the Mission so it can deliver its mandate in a safe manner. They also welcomed the role played by the troop contributing countries and paid tribute to those troops who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and those who sustained injuries in the promotion of peace, security, stability and reconciliation in Mali. They also recalled the framework allowing MINUSMA to provide logistic support to the G5 Joint Force and called for the swift disbursement of the funds dedicated to it under the African Peace Facility. They also noted the call by the UN Secretary General in April 2018 for the use of the UN assessed contributions and welcomed the progress made and the commitment to progress rapidly in the implementation of a human rights and international humanitarian law compliance framework for Africa peace support operations. They further welcomed the ongoing efforts by the AU to re-energize the Nouakchott Process in the context of the review process of the AU Strategy for the Sahel region.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC reaffirmed their partnership in support of regional security and development in the Sahel, as well as the cooperation on the ground between the EU Special Representative for the Sahel and the AU High Representative for Mali/Sahel. They saluted the contribution to the stability of the Sahel region made by the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Mali and EU Capacity Building Missions (EUCAP) Sahel Mali and Niger.

They commended efforts by the G5 Sahel and ECOWAS to reinforce regional cooperation to address the threats of terrorism and organized crime. They welcomed the progress made by the G5 Sahel countries towards the full operational capacity of a Joint Force to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime and all trafficking in the region under the mandate of the AU PSC and with strong EU support. They re-affirmed their commitment to support the G5 Sahel priorities, in particular to successfully implement the UN Security Council resolution 2391 that also needs to be sustained in the longer term. In this regard, they stressed the need to further mobilize political support from regional and international actors to follow up on the pledges made during the High Level Conference on the Sahel that was held in Brussels on the 23 February 2018. They further stressed the need for international support for the successful convening of the Conference on the G5 Programme d'Investissements Prioritaires in Nouakchott on 6 December 2018. In this regard, they underlined the need for the Conference to contribute for greater ownership by countries of the region. They stressed the importance of the full operationalization of the fiduciary fund set up by the G5 Sahel.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC noted the progress made in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the search of lasting solutions to the crisis in the country. They welcomed and reaffirmed their support to the AU sustained efforts through the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, with the support of the countries of the region, through the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, DRC, Sudan and Chad. They urged all stakeholders in the Initiative to participate actively in the implementation of the Roadmap adopted in Libreville, on 17 July 2017. In this regard, they took note with appreciation of the work done by the Facilitation Panel, which, on 31 August 2018, handed over to the President of the CAR, Faustin-Archange Touadera, the list of grievances and demands expressed by the 14 armed groups of the CAR following extensive consultations with these groups in recent months. They acknowledged the African Initiative as the only viable framework for the promotion of lasting peace, security and stability in the CAR. They called on all CAR stakeholders, the UN, notably through CAR country specific configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission (PCB), chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco, the EU and other partners to assist the country in full coordination. They reiterated the need for an inclusive engagement of all CAR institutions and civil society actors, including women's groups, to allow for sustainable national healing and reconciliation in the country. ** They welcomed the inauguration of the Special Criminal Court (CPS) as an important step towards combating impunity and fostering peace, justice and reconciliation in CAR. **

They re-affirmed their support to President Touadera and his Government in their ongoing efforts towards a comprehensive political solution, including justice and reconciliation, essential to allow for stability, peace and development in the country. They called on the CAR leadership to prioritize joint work on the strengthening of democratic State institutions and of the Rule of law, on the reform of the security sector and on transitional justice, on good governance, as well as on the delivery of social services to the population, including security. They condemned the prevailing structural violence by armed groups against people from all walks of life, including women and children, humanitarian actors and security forces. In this regard, they urged the CAR Government to continue to provide protection, particularly to vulnerable groups and facilitate the work of humanitarian aid agencies.

They strongly condemned the destabilizing activities of the armed groups, as well as targeted attacks against civilians and the troops of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission for Stabilization in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and reiterated their support to MINUSCA and to reinforcing the mission. They called upon all armed groups in the CAR to cease hostilities and to commit themselves resolutely to the DDR programmes and the pacification process of the country. They commended the EU and AU for their assistance to efforts being deployed by the CAR authorities to restore peace and rebuild their country, notably through the EU military training mission (EUTM RCA), and underlined that all actors engaged in this context need to closely coordinate their respective activities in full transparency. They acknowledged the support provided by the EU to the Government of the CAR in supporting the security sector reforms, including the provision of strategic advice to the Internal Security Forces through EUTM RCA following the request by CAR for additional assistance to the Internal Security Forces.

They expressed deep concern over the prevailing security and humanitarian situation in the CAR and called upon the international community to extend financial and other necessary forms of support to alleviate the humanitarian situation, as well as with and to fulfil the pledges made in May 2016 donors’ conference held in Brussels, Belgium. They stressed the need for close coordination of efforts by members of the international community.

On South Sudan, the EU PSC and the AU PSC commended the progress made in the search for a lasting solution to the conflict in the Republic South Sudan and welcomed the signing, on 12 September 2018, in Addis Ababa, of the "Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution to the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan" (R-ARCSS) as a step forward towards the pursuit of an effective peace process. They commended the efforts deployed by the South Sudanese parties and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and its member states to reach this result. They stressed that the successful implementation of the R-ARCSS would require the commitment of all parties and, in this regard, they urged them to do their part in building confidence with each other and with the international community. The EU PSC and the AU PSC called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and disengagement of forces throughout the country. They encouraged the IGAD to remain actively engaged and to work closely with the AU to ensure that the parties to the Revitalized Agreement honour their commitments and that spoilers are held accountable for their actions.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC expressed deep concern over the prevailing humanitarian crisis in the country and commended the countries of the region which continue to host large number of South Sudanese refugees, as well as the humanitarian actors who have continued to provide assistance in the most difficult conditions. In this respect, they called on the South Sudanese parties to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access throughout the country. Furthermore, they reiterated the need for the establishment of the Hybrid Court of South Sudan, the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, and the Compensation and Reparations Authority, as provided for by the R-ARCSS. They called for the international community to stand ready to support the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement.

The AU PSC and EU PSC welcomed the commitment of the South Sudanese parties to give due consideration to national diversity, gender and regional representation in selecting their nominees to the various mechanisms outlined in the Revitalized Agreement. Therefore, they encouraged the Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan to ensure that the provisions of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan and the R-ACRSS on the 35% participation of the women in the Executive are adhered to.

The EU PSC and AU PSC welcomed the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, including the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship of 9 July 2018 and the commitment to comprehensive cooperation made between Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti. This provides new openings for regional cooperation on peace and security and economic integration.

On Somalia, in particular, the EU PSC and the AU PSC noted the recent positive regional developments in the Horn of Africa that will potentially have a positive impact on Somalia and the region as a whole. They welcomed the recent Somalia Partnership Forum, convened in Brussels on 16-17 July 2018 and, noting the progress, encouraged the country to positively move forward on political, security and economic reform efforts. They underlined the importance of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Federal Member States working closely together in order to make continued progress in the country’s peace- and state building process. They stressed that the domestic situation in Somalia still remains fragile as evidenced by the continued security threats being posed by Al Shaabab. In this regard, they stressed the importance of sustained international support to the Government of Somalia and the AMISOM. They commended the AMISOM and the troop and police contributing countries for their contribution towards peace and stability in Somalia, which is critical for the progress in Somali state formation. The EU PSC and the AU PSC congratulated the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) for the adoption of the Somali Transition Plan, which is internationally recognized and reiterated in UNSCR 2431 [2018]. They stressed the need to ensure that any security transition is in line with the Transition Plan, and emphasised the need for a reconfigured AMISOM to move towards the gradual handover of security responsibility to the country’s security institutions who progressively will need to take over responsibility for Somalia's own security, bearing in mind the need to avoid any security vacuum that may undermine the gains made so far. The EU and AU PSC called on the FGS, together with the Federal Member States, to pursue the reform of the security sector, with particular emphasis on the integration of forces and to increase transparency through greater engagement with partners of security, notably through the establishment of an improved coordination mechanism ("Fusion Cell"). The EU PSC and the AU PSC further emphasized the need for timely, predictable and sustainable financial support to deliver a phased and conditions based transition, including from UN assessed contributions to AMISOM and support to Somali security institutions during the transition phase. The AU PSC commended the longstanding and continued support provided by the EU to AMISOM and emphasized the importance of international burden-sharing in a joint and transparent effort. They saluted the contribution to the stability in Somalia made by the AMISOM and the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia, the EU Capacity Building Missions (EUCAP) Somalia, as well as through the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Somalia, Operation Atalanta. They also emphasized on the need for enhanced support to the Somali National Army, with a view to preparing the SNA to gradually take over the security responsibilities from AMISOM.

The EU PSC and AU PSC affirmed their commitment to continue to follow the evolution of the situation in Burundi. They welcomed the announcement by President Pierre Nkurunziza, in May 2018, that he will not stand as a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections. The AU PSC and EU PSC further looked forward to the resumption of the inter-Burundian Dialogue which is scheduled to take place soon in Arusha, and urged all stakeholders to extend their full cooperation to the Mediator and the Facilitation team. They stressed that the only viable way forward for Burundi is finding a political solution through an inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue. They encouraged all actors to engage in the process in good faith and to make progress, especially in view of the 2020 elections and of the socio-economic situation in the country. They underlined that the support of the region for the inter-Burundian dialogue remains crucial and they expressed appreciation for the mediation and facilitation undertaken by the East African Community. They urged Burundians to respect the letter and spirit of the 2000 Arusha Agreement which is credited for promoting peace in the country and the region. The EU PSC and AU PSC took note of the adoption, on 28 September 2018, of a resolution which extends the mandate of the UN Commission of Inquiry for another year. They encouraged Burundi to cooperate with international human rights mechanisms and especially to sign a memorandum of understanding in view of the mission of the African Union Human Rights Observers and Military experts Mission in Burundi. They urged Burundi to ensure that all stakeholders providing support for the Burundi population can continue their work.

The AU PSC reiterated its appeal to the EU to lift the suspension of aid through the government imposed on Burundi, although recognising the continued important direct EU support to the population, with a view to facilitating socio-economic recovery in the country.

On the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the EU PSC and the AU PSC reaffirmed their commitment to lasting peace, security and stability in the DRC and the Great Lakes region as a whole.

They welcomed the decision of President Kabila to comply with the Constitution of the country, by not standing as a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections, and paving the way for a democratic and peaceful transition in the DRC. In this context, they stressed the importance for the DRC authorities to ensure that the elections are held on 23 December 2018 consistent with the 31 December 2016 Political Agreement, in order to achieve inclusive, transparent, credible and peaceful elections. Furthermore, the EU PSC and the AU PSC welcomed the visit of the UN Security council in October 2018 and expressed support for the role of the United Nations in facilitating the successful organization of the electoral process, at the request of the Government of the DRC, in line with the relevant provisions of UNSC Resolution 2409.

Bearing in mind the renewed security threats that may exacerbate the risks of the Ebola outbreak in the Eastern provinces of the DRC, the EU PSC and the AU PSC appealed the World Health Organisation to further strengthen and intensify its efforts towards the prevention of further Ebola outbreak and its outspreading . They further appealed for necessary financial and logistical support from the lager international community to the efforts being deployed by the DRC authorities, including for much wider humanitarian needs which remain severely underfunded. They further called for close collaboration between United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in the fight against armed groups and negative forces, in particular the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), for which a strong regional response and coordination is necessary through renewed commitment to the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region, signed on 24 February 2013, in Addis Ababa.

The meeting was also briefed by the EU side on cooperation with the Western Balkans.

The EU PSC and the AU PSC agreed to meet again in 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and further agreed to explore the possibility of undertaking a new joint field visit.

 

CAR President Tells WIF That His Country Is Open For Business

https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=1895

Highlights from article:

October 24th 2018

But stable regulatory and fiscal regimes are a precondition of attracting such investment, said leaders from Armenia, Botswana, Central African Republic and Lesotho

Open for business

Armen Sarkissian, President of the Republic of Armenia, said that his country had the most-advanced information technology sector in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It deserved to be “rediscovered” as a “core component” of the trade routes of the Silk Road, and had recently changed governments in a popular but peaceful revolution, he said. The country was a small but vital bridge between Eurasia and Europe and benefitted from its immense diaspora spread around the globe.

Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, said the new industrial agenda presented challenges to developing countries such as his. Governments needed to attract investment into digital infrastructure by updating their policy and regulatory regimes, he said. The so-called “demographic dividend” of an increase in the number of young Africans was an opportunity to seize concerning the new industrial agenda, he said.

With the proactive involvement of multilateral institutions, President Masisi said, “the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals is not as far-fetched as we might imagine”.

Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic, said the new industrial agenda was a technological agenda and one that was central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking on behalf of his country, he said that half of the citizens of the Central African Republic needed not just development aid but humanitarian aid, following a period of crisis.

However, the Central African Republic was ripe for investment, particularly in agriculture and fisheries, thanks to a favourable climate and geography. Investors could help, for example, with the development of the Oubangui river to help build better connections to neighbouring economies, President Touadéra said.

Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, said his country was “open for business” and enhancing its institutional and regulatory frameworks to make it easy to invest there.

“As a landlocked country, investment is not an option but a must for sustainable economic growth,” he said.

 

China calls for more int'l support for peace efforts in CAR

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1124298.shtml

Source:Xinhua Published: 2018/10/24 13:54:22

A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on the international community to continue to help the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) with its efforts to build peace and stability.

The political process in the CAR has recently made progress while the security situation remains fragile. There are still challenges for the country to realize lasting peace and stability, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN).

China calls on the international community to continue to support the efforts by the CAR government to enhance national capacity building, and assist the government's efforts to maintain security and stability, deal with humanitarian situation and crises, and resolve the root causes of the conflict, he told the UN Security Council.

China urges parties in the CAR to put the interests of their country first and resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation, said Wu.

 

Chinese Portfolios Need A 6% Allocation To Gold - WGC

(Important to know since AXM(Axmin Inc) is majority owned by Chinese investors and NAI500 promotes to strictly Chinese investors). This is a huge benefit.

https://www.kitco.com/news/2018-10-18/Chinese-Portfolios-Need-A-6-Allocation-To-Gold-WGC.html

(Kitco News) - Investors in China need to allocate up to 6% of their portfolios to gold, according to the World Gold Council (WGC), which sees the yellow metal as minimizing the negative effects of volatility.

Chinese traders have had a tough year, with losses in both the equity and bond market spaces, said WGC Investment director Fred Yang.

“China’s leading index, the CSI 300, has underperformed the MSCI World Index by around 20% since 1 January 2018. At the same time, the credit spread between AA+ corporate bonds and the quasi-sovereign China Development Bank bond has ballooned to more than 200bps, highlighting concerns about prospects for domestic companies,” Yang wrote in October’s Gold Investment report.

The reasons behind poor performance include escalating trade tensions with the U.S., tightening Federal Reserve monetary policy as well as domestic deleveraging and tighter rules on shadow banking, the report said.

“The situation puts China’s investors in a difficult position. Equity and bond futures markets do not provide effective hedging tools, as they are comparatively shallow and restricted. And currency weakness is a further problem, particularly for onshore investors,” Yang explained.

In this kind of environment, gold might be the key to investors’ success, the report added.

And the right amount to allocate to gold is between 3% and 6%, the WGC said citing a study done by asset management specialists New Frontier Advisors that used optimization simulation and incorporated data from major asset classes from January 2007 to December 2017.

“The results were noteworthy, suggesting that the optimal allocation to gold increases from 3% to 6% as portfolios’ nominal target returns increase from 4% to 5.5%,” Yang wrote. “The analysis further shows that if a Chinese institutional investor makes a 6% allocation to gold it would reduce the volatility of its portfolio, increase the sharpe ratio from 0.46 to 0.54 and still keep the target return of 5%.”

But this target has a much wider application as well and can be used by investors from across the world, the WGC pointed out.

“Whether institutions are invested in US-, European- or UK-listed assets, research indicates that most well-balanced portfolios would benefit from a modest allocation to gold,” the report said. “Gold has a low correlation with other mainstream assets and boosts risk-adjusted returns. As such, it has the potential to be a rewarding asset for Chinese investors.”

 

October has been a very active month for the Central African Republic(CAR for short). The government forces (FACA) are now starting to move ahead with reclaiming the country as the European Union, African Union, United Nations, Russia, Sudan, USA, France, and other powers help support them.

The goal for Axmin Inc. is to get back to it's Passendro gold property which is just north of Bambari in an area called Ndassima. Exactly one month ago, the government announced that it was going to start sending troops to Bambari and start taking back the town, then likely push ahead North and secure Ndassima, thus giving Axmin the ability to go back. This has been six years in the making, but this is the closest the company has ever been to going back.

Below are articles that summarize what has happened over the last month. As well, keep in mind that Teranga Gold(TGZ.T) will be announcing results on November 1st which will also include their usual quarterly royalty payment to Axmin Inc. There could also be a possible update as to the other targets being mined.

Sept.28 - Central African Republic: Soon the deployment of FACA in Bambari
link: http://ndjonisango.com/securite/centrafrique-bientot-le-deploiement-des-faca-a-bambari/
- With Bambari secured, FACA can move north and secure Ndassima/Ippy/Passendro, giving AXM the ability to go back
- Main area where AXM staff/equipment would be flown into

Oct 8 - CAR government works & citizens returning to Bambari
link: http://palmarescentrafrique.com/rep...iale-de-lalimentation-edition-2018-a-bambari/
- FACA also mentioned, so this tells me the town of Bambari is currently getting back to normal after years of turmoil

Oct 14 - UPC fighters weaponry taken away
link: http://french.xinhuanet.com/2018-10/14/c_137530852.htm
- So this is why the UPC pulled out of the October 23rd peace deal. FACA will not stand for armed guys walking around and will either take the weapons away, or take em out. UPC is the main rebel group that holds back Axmin from heading back to Passendro.

October 16th - 30 killed over two months in Central African diamond hub
link: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/af...er-two-months-in-central-african-diamond-hub/
- FPRC & UPC muslim extremists did this
- Stronger signal for FACA to push ahead sooner

October 23rd - Special Criminal Court In Central African Republic Conducts 1st Meeting
link: https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/special-criminal-court-in-central-african-rep-462216.html
- Established court system to try criminals will help bring justice back to the country

October 23rd - Two CAR armed groups pull out of Khartoum peace process
link: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article66479
- The two armed groups that pulled out are the UPC and CDNS. UPC we know is due to FACA coming and taking back Bambari
Key note: "(We deplore) the low-level political instrumentalization of the Khartoum Declaration of Entente of August 28th which has been diverted to the sole benefit of the deployment of the FACA (Central African Armed Forces), a revanchist army ready to return to a fratricidal armed struggle," said the UPC.

October 24th - Central African Republic to begin disarming groups by year's end: UN envoy
link: https://www.modernghana.com/news/89...ublic-to-begin-disarming-groups-by-years.html
- Major breakthrough. Dealing with 8 groups rather than 14 will be easier

October 27th - CAfrica rebels issue ultimatum to government officials
link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/cafrica-rebels-issue-ultimatum-government-officials-193045042.html

October 27th - Central African Republic: Khartoum agreement still respected
link: https://africandailyvoice.com/en/20...-republic-khartoum-agreement-still-respected/

October 27th - Central African Republic: the President of the National Assembly dismissed
link: https://africandailyvoice.com/en/20...president-of-the-national-assembly-dismissed/

October 28th - Moscow Denies Reports of CAR Rebel Ultimatum to Withdraw Russian Mil. Advisers
link: https://sputniknews.com/africa/201810281069299191-russia-car-advisers-rebels/

Despite the apparent rumour that the rebels have told CAR representatives to leave, there is more support that this was fake news and things will proceed. FACA still needs to deal with the UPC, but they are much weaker now and have also had battles with the FPRC and Anti-Balaka over the last year.

 

https://minusca.unmissions.org/la-minusca-et-les-faca-lancent-des-patrouilles-conjointes-à-bambari

Note: Once Bambari is secured, CAR government forces and other support can move north and secure the Ndassima gold mining region, allowing Axmin to return to their gold deposit.

Oct 31,2018

MINUSCA AND FACA LAUNCH JOINT PATROLS IN BAMBARI

The Force of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) MINUSCA and the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) lead since Monday, October 29, 2018, joint patrols in Bambari, in the prefecture of Ouaka (center) . "Soldiers from both institutions patrolled Kidjigra, Lapago, Bbornou, Adji and Sangharis and the initiative was well received by the people. The commander of the FACA detachment visited the central market, which reopened four years later, and traded with merchants, "said MINUSCA spokesman Vladimir Monteiro.

During the weekly press conference, the spokesman said that in addition to the extension of state authority, the gradual and coordinated deployment of the FACA and the Internal Security Forces (ISF) aims to contribute the protection of civilian populations. " In this sense, the Mission reiterates its support for the authorities and denounces the sporadic shooting by suspected armed individuals of the UPC" as these joint patrols began, he said, recalling the recent deployment of the FACA and joint operations with MINUSCA in other areas such as Paoua, Bangassou, Sibut or Obo.

Similarly, the recruitment process for the 1,023 FACA recruits, which will take place from 5 to 14 November 2018, was discussed, in particular the technical, logistical and material support of MINUSCA, "in particular in the training of the recruitment and training teams. their deployment in the prefectures as well as in the area of awareness and communication. The spokesman also condemned the disruption, by about twenty elements of the FPRC, of an activity related to this process in the town hall of Ndélé, Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture. "MINUSCA has reinforced its patrols in the area while the Mission Police is investigating this incident," he said.

The spokesman further recalled Security Council Resolution 2387 which "calls on the Central African authorities to implement the national security policy and the national strategy for security sector reform in order to build up defense forces. professional and ethnically representative and regionally balanced national and domestic security, including through the adoption and implementation of appropriate due diligence procedures, including respect for human rights, for all defense and security personnel, and measures to integrate elements of armed groups that meet rigorous selection and due diligence criteria. "

The Community Violence Reduction Project (CVR) in Bangui and Bouar was also highlighted at the press conference. In the capital, the training of 785 beneficiaries began and will take place over a period of three months in various sectors including trade, carpentry, mechanics and livestock. In Bouar, the integrated DDR / UNOPS team carried out a weapons collection operation in the city of Bouar with the support of the Force, allowing the recovery of 1,191 hunting weapons, 447 cartridges of different calibres and 29 grenades, between other".



For his part, MINUSCA Force spokesman Major Mohamed Ouabed said the security situation is generally calm throughout the country. "The MINUSCA Force, in collaboration with the Mission Police, the FACA and the Internal Security Forces, is continuing its efforts to strengthen the protection of the civilian population and to spare them any threat," the spokesman said. military word.



For his part, the spokesman of the police component of MINUSCA, Captain Franck Gnapié, said that in Bria, several cases of death threats by armed groups were recorded in the IDP camps of the city. "The MINUSCA Police has put itself on alert and is increasing patrols in the city and especially in IDP camps to maintain calm." In addition, he said, "10 people who had been handed over to the MINUSCA police by the ISPs of the city were transferred to Bangui on October 23, 2018, to be handed over to the Central African judicial authorities. Four others had been released on the spot in Bria on instructions from the judicial authorities for lack of evidence ".

 

Central African Republic Facebook Page Offers Up To Date Information On Progress In Country

https://www.facebook.com/Centrafrique-Debout-171054843566500/

Click on the posts sections and you will find very up to date information. For Example, Bambari is now safer and has opened it's market place after four years of being shut down thanks to the UPC rebel group. They no longer exist in the town. As well, many large scale projects that do not have any articles available.

Examples of recent posts (Keep in mind you will have to translate them from French to English via the Facebook translator). Bambari is the key town to be secured as Passendro/Ndassima are directly north and where Axmin Inc. has it's gold deposit.




Centrafrique Debout

October 28 at 9:28 AM ·
Central African Republic: progress in construction of 5000 social housing on the road to mbaiki

A contract of cfaf 98 billion (about $ 175 million) for the construction of 5 SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN
Contacted by a team of reporters, the team leader of ngaliema said:
" in the work that is mine, my team and I have found investors.", he said. Adding that " we sold our country's potential after 18 months of negotiations. A convention has been signed with the central African authorities, we are completing the studies. The total cost of this project is 98 billion francs ".

According to reporters, the start of the work is planned to take place both in the capital bangui and in several other cities in the country.

" initially, we needed 5 sites to enable us to make 1 dwellings per site. But the state's concern is to enlarge the city, which is why we planned two sites at bimbo, a site at pk 14 not far from where the university will be built. We have another site on the damara axis and a site in study to landja. In the end, we will try to put 4 000 dwellings around bangui and distribute the 1 000 in high concentration areas, particularly in bouar, Berbérati, bambari and give a new breath to a city like Bangassou.", he said.

It should be noted that because of the armed tensions that have shaken the central African Republic, many houses have been destroyed causing thousands of homeless people So many people still live in makeshift camps.

According to the central African authorities, housing needs have increased from about 500 dwellings before the crisis, to about one million today.





Centrafrique Debout

October 23 at 3:37 AM · Bangui, Central African Republic ·
Illuminate Bambari! The City's enerca takes over the distribution of solar, digital and domestic energy. "the current is back"

Bambari, 11 September 2018, to the surprise of the inhabitants of this city about 350 km from the central African Capital, domestic electricity is back.

Once during the crisis, the city was the stronghold of UPC's violent extremist groups, transformed into the kingdom of the Nigerian-born terrorist ali darras who makes honey thanks to the ores minerals and the multiple illicit barriers erected on the axes.

Being cornered by the special forces of the minusca and today with the presence of faca who broke the ankles of these sacristans, a few days ago when a network of these terrorists attempted to attack the city station , the replica has been severe, and ghosts have returned to their cogna, so bambari the star of the ouaka finds its tranquility with the return of the vector of growth that is domestic electricity that illuminates the whole locality.

 

Newswire: RJDH-RCA: Armed Groups Confirm There Will Be No Withdrawal From Khartoum Agreements

Newswire: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-re...rawal-from-khartoum-agreements-699284491.html

BANGUI, Central African Republic, November 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

'People's front for the revival of the CAR' and 'Union for peace in the CAR' have said that their organizations are not going to withdraw from the Khartoum agreement. Information on the termination of their participation in the agreement was published earlier in the media.

The representative of the 'Union for peace in the CAR' Hassan Bubba, said that his organization is not going to withdraw from the Khartoum agreements: "I confirm that we remain within the framework of the agreements reached," - according to Ndjoni Sango (http://ndjonisango.com/politique/po...rejette-les-allegations-des-faux-communiques/ ) Moreover, Bubba added that the 'Union for peace in the CAR' is going to take part in the next round of peace talks in Khartoum in mid-November.

President of the National Defense and Security Council of the People's front for the revival of the CAR, Abdoulaye Hissen, also said that his organization will continue to comply with the agreements reached: "The Khartoum agreements are not in doubt," - according to Africa daily voice (https://africandailyvoice.com/2018/...ccord-de-khartoum-nest-pas-remis-en-question/).

Earlier, the African media published reports on the withdrawal of armed groups from the Khartoum peace agreement, which was signed on August 28, 2018. These reports appeared in the media amid the dismissal of the Chairman of the national Assembly of the CAR, who left his post on October 26, 2018. For his resignation voted 98 deputies out of 140.

Created in December 2010, the Network of journalists for human Rights in the Central African Republic (RJDH-RCA) works with community radios in the country. Every day, the coordination of the network exchanges information with radio stations on Human Rights and humanitarian intervention. With the support of our partner, INTERNEWS CENTRAFRICAINE, we share the idea that information is a humanitarian intervention. Because we believe that an informed population can prevent conflicts and improve its living conditions in peace. In short, we believe that reliable information can help save lives.

SOURCE RJDH-RCA

 

French foreign affairs minister visits Bangui

http://www.africanews.com/2018/11/02/french-foreign-affairs-minister-visits-bangui/

Philemon Mbale NSONGAN 4 hours ago

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian made a brief stop in Bangui, Central African Republic, capital. A place the minister had not been to since France pulled out its military in October 2016.

The trip comes at a time when the Russian presence is increasingly felt in Central Africa.
On an official note, the visit is to emphasize French commitment to the Central African Republic and French desires to pursue and strengthen its involvement around the continent.

Louis Magloire Keumayou, President of the African information club shared his views

"The Central African Republic currently needs partners, I think it cannot do without partners and a historical partner like France must keep and hold its place."

“The Central African Republic currently needs partners, I think it cannot do without partners and a historical partner like France must keep and hold its place. It has simply slowed things in recent years, which has led other partners to take over, notably Russia. And so if it wants to regain its place in both the defence and security of the Central African Republic, it is up to France to make efforts because its front row seat on the African continent is greatly been challenged, I think that is what French diplomacy has understood and is now trying to correct in terms of influence on the Central African Republic.”

After pulling out soldiers in 2016, France continues to support and accompany the elected authorities in the African state and appreciates their efforts to stabilize and develop the country in a sustainable manner. It is one of the greatest contributors to the financing of the Central African Republic’s development.

 

France promises money, guns for Central African Republic

https://www.expatica.com/fr/news/country-news/CAfrica-France-aid-weapons-diplomacy_2195352.html

2nd November 2018, 0 comments

France will give the Central African Republic, its restive former colony, aid of 24 million euros ($27.4 million) and weapons, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced on Friday.

"France wishes to continue its historical partnership with the Central African Republic," the minister told journalists in Bangui after meeting President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

Le Drian signed aid agreements worth 24 million euros in 2018 for the payment of salaries and pension arrears, to develop regions near neighbour Cameroon affected by massive population displacements, and build bridges to open access to parts of the country.

He also announced that France would "soon deliver arms" to Bangui -- specifically 1,400 assault rifles for the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) established after independence in 1960.

"We are doing this within the strict, respectful, and transparent framework of the United Nations, in total transparency concerning the origin, the routing, and the delivery" of the arms, said Le Drian.

One of the world's poorest and most unstable countries despite vast mineral riches, the CAR spiralled into bloodshed after longtime leader Francois Bozize was overthrown in 2013 by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance called the Seleka.

That same year, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the country. The ban remains in place, except for weapons provided to the security forces with special pre-approval by a sanctions committee.

Last year, this committee gave the green light for Russia to supply weapons to the national forces.

But in June this year, France, Britain, and the United States blocked a request from Bangui for UN approval of Chinese weapons deliveries.

CAR Foreign Minister Charles Armel Doubane said Friday it "was time that France decided to make these assault rifles available to FACA within the strict framework of international commitments."`

The government controls only a small part of the country, with vast areas under the control of armed groups vying for power and resources.

Thousands of people have died, 700,000 been internally displaced and another 570,000 have fled abroad as a result.

The African Union launched a UN-backed mediation effort in July 2017.

On the eve of Le Drian's visit, clashes between armed groups in Batangafo in the north forced more than 10,000 people to take refuge in the local hospital, according to Doctors Without Borders.


© 2018 AFP

 

Central African Republic: Blue Helmets and Government Forces Remove Rebel Fence in Bambari City

http://french.xinhuanet.com/2018-11/03/c_137577765.htm

BANGUI, November 2 (Xinhua) - UN peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca) and Central African Armed Forces (FACA) soldiers stationed in the Central African city of Bambari (center) decided on Friday to open the doors in the northeast neighborhoods of the locality, by dismantling barricades erected by the elements of the rebel movement "Union for Peace in Central Africa" (UPC) chief Ali Darassa, learned Xinhua Friday from local sources.

This dismantling of the barricades, the source said, was accompanied by intensive shooting of heavy and automatic weapons from the middle of the day, giving the impression of clashes between the joint FACB-Blue Patrol and rebel elements.

Not wanting joint patrols of peacekeepers and FACA in the town of Bambari, especially in the northeastern neighborhoods, UPC rebel elements erected barricades on almost every roadway in their neighborhoods in an attempt to adversely affect the free movement of people and goods, but above all the mobility of these patrols.

Last Wednesday, joint force patrols resulted in a confrontation that triggered the use of heavy, automatic weapons to repel the attackers.

However, Bambari was chosen as a pilot city "without weapons and without armed groups" by the government where there was a strong presence of rebel elements.

The unrest for the time, according to another local source, would have a link with the dismissal of the Speaker of the National Assembly Abdou Karim Meckassoua. Taking advantage of this internal crisis in the National Assembly, rebel groups are trying to do everything possible to boycott World Food Day (WYD), scheduled to be held in Bambari from 15 to 17 November. End

 

Sudan’s al-Bashir invites Congo and Gabon leaders to CAR peace talks

http://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article66548

November 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir extended an invitation to the Congo-Brazzaville’s President, Denis Sassou Nguesso and the President of Gabon Denis Sassou Nguesso to attend the opening session of Khartoum peace process to end the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR).

According to a statement released in Khartoum on Saturday, Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed Friday travelled to Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon on Friday to extend an invitation for the leaders of the two countries to take part in the opening session of the talks for peace in the CAR on 15 November.

Following his arrival to Libreville, Derdeiry met with Gabon’s Prime Minister Emmanuel Essoze-Ngondeton and handed him a letter from al-Bashir addressed to President Bongo. On the same day, he handed over another letter to the Congolese President Sassou Nguesso at his residence in Oyo.

"The Minister conveyed an invitation from President al-Bashir to his Gabonese and Congolese counterparts to attend these important discussions, pointing out that their personal presence will confirm the interest of African leaders in efforts to resolve the crisis in the CAR," said the foreign ministry.

"The Congolese president agreed to attend the Khartoum talks on 15 November," added the statement.

In mid-October, the Sudanese president sent his foreign minister to both Chad and the Central African Republic to rally support for the initiative to resolve a bloody conflict between the different groups of the central African nation.

According to the statement, the Sudanese top diplomat explained during these meetings the preparatory talks held by Khartoum with the opposition groups, which agreed to join the Khartoum peace process. He further briefed them about the positive indicators of the meetings.

The Sudanese presidential envoy also informed the two African leaders about the outcome of the meetings held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with the African Union officials, African leaders and regional and international partners to push forward the ongoing efforts to end the crisis in the Central African Republic.

Last August, the Sudanese government hosted a meeting for peace in CAR including the main armed groups, the Christian anti-Balaka militia of Maxime Mokom and Muslim Seleka armed faction led Noureddine Adam. The Central African government was not part of the Russian-supported meeting.

The divided groups signed the Khartoum Declaration of Entente on 28 August 2018 where they accept to negotiate a peaceful settlement for the civil war that erupted in December 2012.

However, Two of the five signatory groups of Khartoum Declaration: the National Defence and Security Council (CNDS) of Abdoulaye Hissène and the Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC) led by Ali Darassa distanced themselves from the agreement on 19 October.

But El-Dirdeiry said they are conducting intensive consultations and meetings to convince all the armed groups to join the process.

(ST)

 

UN Welcomes Russia For CAR Defense & UN Sees CAR Stabilizing

MINUSCA Chief Welcomes Russia's Support Of CAR Defense, Security Forces Reform - https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/minusca-chief-welcomes-russias-support-of-ca-474180.html

CAR's Current Stability Level Sufficient To 'Envisage Dialogue' - MINUSCA Head - https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/cars-current-stability-level-sufficient-to-474182.html

 

3 recent articles: IMF Review's Fifth CAR Financing, France & UK To Help CAR With Air Support, Bambari Secured

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Article...fth-review-under-the-extended-credit-facility

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/c...ean-yves-le-drian-and-his-british-counterpart

https://africandailyvoice.com/2018/...bari-retrouve-calme-operation-militaire-faca/

 

France proposes UN peacekeeper support for Central African troop deployments

https://thedefensepost.com/2018/11/...eper-support-central-african-republic-troops/

The United Nations Security Council is weighing a proposal that would see U.N. peacekeepers in the Central African Republic offer support to newly-trained troops as they deploy across the country.

A French-drafted resolution would authorize the U.N.’s Minusca mission to “provide limited logistical support” for troops that have been trained by the European Union, according to the text seen by AFP on Wednesday, November 7.

The proposal is raising eyebrows, in particular from the United States, which is seeking to streamline peacekeeping operations to reduce costs and make them more effective, diplomats said.

The council will vote next week backing “rapid extension of state authority over the entire territory” by supporting the deployment of the vetted and trained troops in areas outside the capital Bangui.

President Faustin-Archange Touadera in April called for more peacekeepers to be deployed, and for Minusca to transition from peacekeeping to peace enforcement.

Touadera’s weak government controls around a fifth of Central African Republic and relies heavily on Minusca for support. The rest of the country is controlled by at least 14 different militia groups who often fight each other for control of revenue from extortion, roadblocks or mineral resources.

The draft resolution also extends the Minusca mission until November 2019 but maintains a ceiling of 11,650 military personnel. Last year, the council increased the authorized number of personnel by 900. Minusca is the U.N.’s fourth largest mission, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Mali.

Training and equipping Central African forces
The European Union has trained more than 3,000 personnel to serve in the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). In July, the bloc extended EUTM-RCA until 2020, pledging €25 million ($29 million) to help reform the country’s defense sector. The scope of the mission was also modified to give strategic advice to the president’s cabinet, interior ministry and police, as well as the military.

Russian advisors also work with FACA and provide security and advice to Touadera. In August, Russia signed a military cooperation agreement with CAR offering the possibility for Central African officers and NCOs to be trained in Russian military schools.


Central African Republic troops give a demonstration of their skills at a ceremony to mark the completion of training of the latest group of CAR’s armed forces by Russian advisors, September 17, 2018. Image: Renaissance.cf/Facebook
More than 1,000 FACA personnel have completed Russian training programs in CAR, which they undertake after completing the EUTM-RCA program. They are trained by Russian instructors in the use of weapons provided by Russia.

The U.N. Security Council imposed its current arms embargo on CAR in 2013, but weapons shipments for the security forces can be authorized after special pre-approval by a sanctions committee. The embargo was last year lifted by the Security Council to allow delivery of Russian weapons, which the U.N. has since verified with the defense ministry and Russia.

Russia’s Ambassador to CAR Sergey Lebanov said on September 17 that a second shipment of Russian arms and ammunition “is in preparation,” and will be delivered once it has Security Council approval.

However, while on a visit to CAR on November 2, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that France would “soon deliver” 1,400 assault rifles for FACA within a strict and transparent U.N. framework, adding that “it would be absurd to train soldiers and not to give them the means to perform their duties.”

It is unclear if the intended French shipment is instead of or in addition to the proposed Russian delivery.


Some of the more than 70 vehicles donated by China’s Poly Technology group to Central African Republic’s military forces, August 8, 2018. Image: Renaissance.cf/Facebook
In June, France, the U.S. and the United Kingdom put a hold on a CAR request for U.N. Security Council approval of weapons shipments from China.

On September 26, Touadera reiterated a call for “the total lifting of the arms embargo that still weighs on our national army” in an address to the annual U.N. General Assembly.

Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, the outgoing U.N. special envoy to CAR and head of Minusca, said the following day that the U.S. had also proposed sending “new quantities of weapons” to the country.

Onanga-Anyanga said that the need for weapons was “undeniable” as the Central African Republic government builds its armed forces, but urged transparency in the flow of arms.

France, Belgium, China and the U.S. have recently supplied equipment for CAR’s military, but that equipment is understood not to include weaponry.

Competing peace efforts
The draft resolution also takes aim at recent Russian efforts to broker peace deals in CAR by specifying that an African-led initiative is “the only framework” for a solution.

Working with Sudan, Russia on August 28 convened talks in Khartoum where four ex-Seleka groups and a rival anti-Balaka group signed a declaration of understanding which said they had decided to “create a common framework for dialogue and action for a real and lasting peace.”

However, on October 19, two of the ex-Seleka groups said they had withdrawn from the agreement, and a third withdrew days later.

The Russia-brokered talks drew criticism from former colonial power France which said there was “no alternative” an on-going African Union initiative, but Russia’s foreign ministry has said Moscow “plans to continue its mediation efforts” in coordination with the A.U. and U.N.

Supported by the U.N. and other international partners, an A.U. expert panel has been working to set up negotiations between the militias and the government since July 2017. France, Russia and the U.S. are observers in the A.U. iniitiative.


An African Union expert panel attempting to broker peace meets with representatives of Central African Republic’s armed groups to discuss their demands, Bouar, August 28, 2018. Image: @UN_CAR/Twitter
Just days after the Khartoum declaration was signed, representatives from 14 militias held talks that could lead to negotiations with the government, a spokesperson for the A.U. expert panel said.

The “positive” meeting ended with a single list of 104 demands, signed by the representatives of the 14 armed groups that would be be put to the government as “the basis for negotiations between the two sides,” Francis Che said.

Touadera welcomed the A.U. meetings, saying that “the African initiative is the only frame of reference” for dialogue.

To step up diplomatic efforts, the U.N. and A.U. plan to appoint a joint special envoy, while Onanga-Anyanga will become part of the A.U. panel leading the peace effort.

A divided country
Despite reserves of diamonds, gold, uranium, copper and iron, Central African Republic is one of the world’s poorest countries.

The majority-Christian country descended into violence following the 2013 ousting of President Francois Bozize in 2013 by the Seleka, a coalition of mainly Muslim rebel groups.

Seleka was officially disbanded within months, but many fighters refused to disarm, becoming known as ex-Seleka. Many others joined the mainly Christian anti-Balaka militia to fight the Seleka, leading to a spiral of violence between groups along both religious and ethnic lines.

By the end of 2014, the country was de facto partitioned – anti-Balaka in the southwest and ex-Seleka in the northeast.

Violence by both sides led to thousands of deaths. Nearly 700,000 people are displaced, 570,000 have fled the country and 2.5 million are in need of humanitarian aid, according to the U.N.

 

Concordis International Open Office In Central African Republic

Announced October 25th 2018 via their website

http://concordis.international/new-programme-in-central-african-republic/

http://concordis.international/we-open-a-new-office-in-paoua-central-african-republic/

We open a new office in Paoua, Central African Republic
Concordis has made a new home in Paoua, Ouham-Pendé province, north of the Central African Republic. The city is a hub of humanitarian and relief activities for the province – hosting an MSF hospital and an UN-secured airstrip. From our new office, we will be able to carry out our community dialogues and peacebuilding workshops right in the heart of important pastoral corridors between Chad, Cameroon and the south of CAR.

Timea Szarkova, our CAR Programme Manager and Peter Marsden, our Director of Programmes, headed out to the field last month to prepare Concordis’ arrival in the country. They were delighted to find a home for our project. The office is not only an operational base, but aims to be a true home to our Project Manager, Financial Director and visiting staff. In addition to the house, our garden includes an outdoors, thatched-roof meeting room – or paillotte-, in the pure spirit of Central African dialogue traditions.

We are very excited to open our office and start work in Paoua. With indefatigable enthusiasm, our Programme Manager is already back in the field to ensure a smooth start to our activities. We wish her a safe trip and can’t wait to welcome the project staff on the premises.

New Programme in Central African Republic
Concordis is delighted to announce that funding has been secured to commence a new programme in the beautiful Ouham Pendé Préfecture, in the north west region of the Central African Republic. With support from UK Aid Direct and the European Union Bêkou Trust Fund, Concordis will be able to leverage its expertise in dealing with conflicts related to cross-border transhumance and help local people identify their own mutually beneficial solutions to avoid recourse to violence in the management of their differences.

Based in the pleasant sub-prefecture town of Paoua, Concordis will be able to carry out peace-building activities throughout the region, where conflicts between several armed groups, as well as between herders and farmers, make it hard for peaceful and safe transhumance to take place. These seasonal migrations, which occur not only in relatively small perimeters, but also across the borders with Chad and Cameroon, are one of the most important sources of income for the region. The lack of mechanisms to resolve conflicts and to ultimately allow the resumption of transhumance affects a large number of citizens of the region. We hope to help the local people set up such mechanisms.

Concordis will also act as a consultant in several other prefectures in the north of the country, in order to help our partner organisations support them with conflict analysis, beneficiary feedback, and overall conflict sensitivity in implementing their development actions.

 

Axmin Inc Insider/Institutional Holdings
Mutual Funds
PGIM Jennison Natural Resources Fund 666,158
USAA Precious Metals and Minerals Fund 200,000
Institutional Holdings
Dickson Resources Limited British Virgin Islands 45,000,000
Shanghai Shenglin Trading Co., Ltd. China 20,000,000
AOG Holdings BV (3)The Netherlands 15,001,938
Consulting Group (October 10th 2018 News) 3,460,000
Director Holdings Common Shares - Does Not Include Options
David De Jongh Weill 1,716,616
Total Insider/Institutional Holdings: 86,044,712 out of 134 million

 

World Bank Report For Central African Republic. Doing Business In CAR In 2019

http://documents.worldbank.org/cura...WP-DB2019-PUBLIC-Central-African-Republic.pdf

About Doing Business: The project provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies and selected cities at the subnational and regional level. Doing Business The project, launched in 2002, looks at domestic small and medium-size companies and measures the regulations applying to them through their life cycle. Doing Business captures several important dimensions of the regulatory environment as it applies to local firms. It provides quantitative indicators on regulation for starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. also measures features of labor market regulation. Although does not present rankings of economies on the labor market regulation indicators or include the topic in the aggregate ease of doing business score or ranking on the ease of doing business, it does present the data for these indicators. Doing Business Doing Business Doing Business By gathering and analyzing comprehensive quantitative data to compare business regulation environments across economies and over time, encourages economies to compete towards more efficient regulation; offers measurable benchmarks for reform; and serves as a resource for academics, journalists, private sector researchers and others interested in the business climate of each economy. Doing Business In addition, offers detailed , which exhaustively cover business regulation and reform in different cities and regions within a nation. These reports provide data on the ease of doing business, rank each location, and recommend reforms to improve performance in each of the indicator areas. Selected cities can compare their business regulations with other cities in the economy or region and with the 190 economies that has ranked. Doing Business subnational reports Doing Business The first report, published in 2003, covered 5 indicator sets and 133 economies. This year’s report covers 11 indicator sets and 190 economies. Most indicator sets refer to a case scenario in the largest business city of each economy, except for 11 economies that have a population of more than 100 million as of 2013 (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation and the United States) where also collected data for the second largest business city. The data for these 11 economies are a population-weighted average for the 2 largest business cities. The project has benefited from feedback from governments, academics, practitioners and reviewers. The initial goal remains: to provide an objective basis for understanding and improving the regulatory environment for business around the world.