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Faustin Archange Touadera, Head of State of the Central African Republic, addresses the general debate of the 74th Session of the General Assembly of the UN (New York, 24 – 30 September 2019).


President Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic on Wednesday (25 Sep) urged a dynamic, concerted, coherent and coordinated multilateral response to overcome the crisis in his country, pledging the government’s continued support to the people on the road to recovery.

Touadera said, “My country’s situation remains fragile in spite of some genuine progress. Armed groups continue to be supplied with weapons and ammunition through illicit routes. They are committing mass and repeated violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.”

He welcomed the adoption of Security Council resolution 2488 (2019), which allowed for the easing of the arms embargo and called for its total lifting.

Touadera said, “To overcome the crisis that has shaken my country, and, very much in line with the theme of this session, I call for dynamic, concerted, coherent and coordinated multilateral action. I express the hope that the international community will remain mobilized alongside the people and government of the Central African Republic and will continue to support them for the recovery of my country.”

The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic – called MINUSCA – was created in 2014 with the protection of civilians as its top priority. The mission’s other initial tasks included support for the transition process; facilitating humanitarian assistance; promotion and protection of human rights; support for justice and the rule of law; and disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation processes.

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Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said more than 500 civilians had been killed and many hundreds more injured since the start of the escalation in northwest Syria in late April. He said WHO and UNICEF reported that 43 health facilities, 87 educational facilities, 29 water stations, and 7 markets had all been impacted by fighting since April. He called on the parties to ensure respect for international law adding that the Board of Inquiry announced by the Secretary-General would investigate incidents in northwest Syria which damaged or destroyed facilities which have either been deconflicted or received humanitarian support from the UN.

SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:
“The rules are clear. The parties must at all times apply the principles of distinction and precaution in the conduct of hostilities and take all necessary steps to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure from attacks and the effects of violence. People’s homes, hospitals, schools, water systems and markets must be protected. There can be no reason, rationale, excuse or justification for the destruction of civilian areas on the scale seen in Idlib today.”

Lowcock said the UN was continuing to carry out relief operations and has reached 6 million people around the country this year. However, he said with less well funded than 2018 he appealed for countries who made pledges in the Brussels conference in April to take action to implement them.