Role of the South African Government in resolving the conflict in the Central African Republic and encouragement of the engagement of the African Union
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 435 (NW518E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO: 3-2014 OF 4 JULY 2014
MR S MOKGALAPA (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:
(a) What is the role of the Government in resolving the conflict in the Central African Republic and (b) how has the Government encouraged the engagement of the African Union on this issue? NW518E
REPLY:
(a) What is the role of the Government in resolving the conflict in the Central African Republic?
The South African Government has continued to play an important role in the resolution of the conflict in Central African Republic through its participation in the International Contact Group on Central African Republic (ICG-CAR), an international group formed to follow the evolution of the situation in the CAR and ensure the resolution of the conflict from a humanitarian, political and military perspective under the Chairpersonship of the President of the Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The ICG-CAR has met 5 times since its inaugural meeting, which President Zuma attended. The most recent meeting was on 7 July 2014 in Addis Ababa.
The South African Government has also pledged support of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA) during the donors’ conference held at Heads of State and Government Level in February 2014.
(b) How has the Government encouraged the engagement of the African Union on this issue?
Furthermore, the South African Government continues to provide political direction to the Central African Republic’s interim authority through South Africa’s participation on the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC). Since South Africa has taken its seat on the AU PSC in April 2014 the PSC has discussed the matter of CAR on 9 April 2014, related to the withdrawal of Chadian troops and in support of the work of MISCA; on 15 May 2014 where it inter alia discussed the matter with the European Union Political and Security Committee; and on 6 June 2014 amongst other issues the matter was discussed with the United Nations Security Council and at each occasion the necessary political pressure was maintained on both the transitional authority as well as the region and international community to ensure an end to the crisis in CAR.
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