The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) welcomes the signing today in Bangui, in the Central African Republic (CAR), of an important peace agreement between the CAR Government and 14 armed groups. 

The Agreement, which was initialed by all parties yesterday in Khartoum, Sudan, is the result of 10 days of intensive talks convened from 24 January to 2 February 2019 in the Sudanese capital. It marks the culmination of the African Union’s Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the CAR.

Under the terms of the Agreement, called the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, the parties have committed to putting an end to violence, strengthening the foundations of the State, promoting inclusive governance, and providing reparation to the victims of the successive crises that have affected the country. The parties have also reached a compromise over a transitional justice mechanism in support of the national reconciliation process. 

Building on the recent CAR Constitution and the recommendations of the Bangui National Forum (2015 Republican Pact for Peace, National Reconciliation and Reconstruction), the Agreement establishes a consensual and pragmatic framework for stabilizing the CAR. 

“Today, the Central African parties have signed an Agreement, every word and every comma of which has been thoroughly negotiated. This places an even greater burden of responsibility on the parties to ensure the agreement is implemented as the CAR people have been scarred by years of violence.” said Freddy Nkurikiye, HD’s Special Representative for Western and Central Africa. 

HD has been working in support of peace in the CAR since 2007, playing a key role during the 2008 inclusive political dialogue, the 2015 Bangui Forum and the 2016 electoral process. HD also supported the AU’s African Initiative until the Agreement was reached on 2 February. HD remains available to the parties to support their peace efforts, particularly in relation to justice and reconciliation.  

HD would like to thank the parties and the AU’s facilitation team for their trust. The organisation would also like to express its gratitude to the European Union for its financial support which has enabled HD to support peace efforts in CAR since 2014.

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To view the agreement, click here.

For any further enquiries, please contact HD’s Special Representative for Western and Central Africa, Mr Freddy Nkurikiye, by phone on +236 75 15 23 25 or on +41 79 388 35 31, or by email: nkurikiye@hdcentre.org.

For further information about the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), please send an email to: pr@hdcentre.org.