The Central African Republic
How Peacekeeping Has Failed But Peacebuilding Is Still Needed
By Maia Brener
Abstract:
The Central African Republic is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of Central African States. The country has been in a state of civil war since 2013 when a coalition of rebel groups known as the Seleka overthrew the government. The conflict in the Central African Republic has had devastating effects on the country’s population. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and the country’s economy has been severely harmed. As, the conflict has led to a deterioration in the rule of law, with widespread human rights abuses being committed by all sides that are involved in the conflict.
The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad in the north, Sudan in the northeast, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the south, the Republic of the Congo in the southwest, and Cameroon in the west. The Central African Republic is a former colony of France that acquired independence in 1960. This nation has a very diverse population, with the majority of the population belonging to the Banda, Baya, Mandjia, and Sara ethnic groups. The Central African Republic is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of Central African States.[1]
The country has been in a state of civil war since 2013 when a coalition of rebel groups known as the Seleka overthrew the government of President François Bozizé. The Seleka group then replaced President Bozizé with Michel Djotodia. Since then, the country has been plagued by violence and instability, with multiple armed groups competing for control of the Central African Republic.
The primary actors of the conflict in Central African Republic are the government of the Central African Republic, the Seleka rebel coalition, the anti-Balaka militia, and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. Other actors include the African Union, France, and the United States. Tensions are caused by the presence of various ethnic groups in the country, which includes the majority Christian population and the minority Muslim population.[2]
The Seleka government was characterized by widespread human rights abuses, and in response, a militia known as the Anti-Balaka formed to oppose them. This has led to a cycle of violence between the two groups, as well as between the Seleka and the government of the Central African Republic. The Seleka have officially been disbanded by the government of the Central African Republic, although the members of the group are still active.[3] The conflict in the Central African Republic is rooted in a few different aspects, which include political, economic, and social grievances. Politically, the Seleka were motivated by a desire to overthrow the government of Bozizé, which they considered as oppressive and corrupt. Economically, the Seleka wanted access to the natural resources of the Central African Republic, such as diamonds and gold, which was a sector of the economy that had been mainly monopolized by Bozizé’s government. Socially, the Seleka were motivated by a desire to put a stop to discrimination against Muslims, who had been marginalized by the Bozizé government.[4]
The conflict has also been heightened by the involvement of external actors. The Seleka have received support from Chad and Sudan, while the Anti-Balaka have received support from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. In addition to this, the conflict has been fueled by the addition of small arms and the presence of foreign mercenaries.[5] The conflict in the Central African Republic has had devastating effects on the country’s population. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and the country’s economy has been severely harmed. As, the conflict has led to a deterioration in the rule of law, with widespread human rights abuses being committed by all sides that are involved in the conflict.
The government of President François Bozizé reached a peace agreement with rebel groups in the Central African Republic Bush War (2004–2007). The current government was accused by the Séléka group of breaking this peace agreement. In 2012-2013 the Séléka took over many towns and managed to seize the capital of Bangui. As of today there is still fighting, with an estimated 80% of the population in poverty and many displaced. Now, much of the fighting is over religious identity between Muslim Séléka fighters and Christian Anti-balaka. There is also fighting due to the ethnic differences among ex-Séléka factions, between agriculturalists, who are mostly Anti-balaka, and nomadic groups, who are mostly Séléka fighters.[6]
Many attempts have been made to try and negotiate peace in the Central African Republic. In May 2015, the Bangui Forum brought together 600 people from across the nation as part of a more long-term national dialogue and reconciliation process.[7] Open dialogues between a diverse group of people is very important in being able to work toward peace. As long as the participants are listened to but also willing to work together then an attempt at peace can be accomplished.
On February 6, 2019, in the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, the government signed a peace agreement with the leaders of fourteen armed groups after previous talks in Sudan.[8] This peace agreement was backed by the African Union.[9] Unlike previous agreements, this one appeared to be making progress, with substantial backing from the international community and a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation program underway. Since then, the country has seen a reduction in violence and an increase in stability. Nevertheless, the peace process is still precarious and there are still reports and allegations of violence and human rights abuses in the country. The United Nations is currently conucting a peacekeeping mission in the country to help maintain the peace and to protect civilians. The United Nations has stated the situation in the Central African Republic is a Level Three emergency, which is the highest level. The United Nations is also leading the humanitarian response to the crisis by providing food, shelter, and medical assistance to those in need.[10]
Disputed elections in December 2020 reignited the violence. It also prompted the installation of a new coalition of armed groups, known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change, which included several signatories of the peace agreement.[11]
The conflict has caused widespread displacement, with over 500,000 people internally displaced and over 750,000 refugees in neighboring countries. The conflict has also resulted in a severe food crisis, with over 3 million people that are in need of food assistance. In addition to this, the Central African Republic is also facing a health crisis, with over 400,000 people in need of health care. The humanitarian situation in the country is dire, with more than half of the population in need of humanitarian aid. The United Nations estimates that more than 3.4 million people are in need of help, including food, water, shelter, and medical care.[12] In addition to this, the country is encountering an economic crisis, with the currency losing value and inflation rising.
In order to address the conflict in the Central African Republic, it is crucial that all parties involved commit to a political process that is more inclusive and respects the rights of all citizens. In addition to this, it is important that the external actors abstain from giving support to any of the parties that are involved in the conflict. Finally, it is vital that the international community provides support to the Central African Republic in order to help rebuild the economy of the nation and to restore the rule of law.
Now, considering this is an organization mainly focused on the European Union, you may be wondering: what does this have to do with us? The European Union is supplying financial and political aid to the government of the Central African Republic and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. It has provided over €437 million in humanitarian aid to the Central African Republic since 2014.[13]The EU has also given financial and political support to the African Union's attempts to mediate the conflict and to encourage talks between the government and armed groups.[14]
The European Union has provided training and equipment to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic to help it carry out its directive.[15] It has also been involved in the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration process, giving both financial and technical support to the government and international partners. Finally, the European Union Training Mission in Central African Republic was training members of the Central African Republic armed forces to fight against the rebel insurgents from 2016 to 2021.[16] They stopped training due to the presence of the Russian private military contractor organization, the Wagner Group. The EU could not acquire confirmation that these mercenaries were not being trained by the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic and that those who were being trained were actually members of the armed forces of the Central African Republic.[17]
The European Union has adopted a multi-faceted strategy to help resolve the conflict in the Central African Republic. The EU has provided financial and technical assistance to the Central African Republic's government to assist it in addressing the core causes of the conflict, including poverty, inequality, and lack of access to basic services. It deployed a civilian mission to help reinforce the rule of law and to promote human rights.[18] The European Union has also provided humanitarian assistance to those who were impacted by the conflict and has supported the Central African Republic government in its efforts to promote national reconciliation and dialogue. Finally, the European Union has worked to strengthen regional collaboration and dialogue between the Central African Republic and its neighboring countries, in order to promote peace and stability in the region.[19]
In order to achieve a resolution to this conflict, it is firstly very important that women are included in the conversation. There were only eight women out of seventy-eight delegates at the peace talks in Khartoum, which resulted in the 2019 treaty, as well as only one woman signatory to the February 6, 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.[20] Women are essential in the peacekeeping process as they make up half of the population, yet there is such low representation of women in these peace talks. Women’s participation in peace talks has been shown to result in a 20% increased chance of peace being kept at least two years after the peace agreement was made. The chances of peace remaining after women’s participation in a peace agreement after fifteen years jumps to 35%.[21] Women are a vital part of this process, yet they are often ignored or not included in peace talks and negotiation. Women are also many times able to bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. The experiences of men and the experiences of women in conflicts are vastly different. The negotiation and rebuilding process must ensure that everybody is included and that the negotiations will end in peace. Excluding such a large group cannot always guarantee peace and harmony in a country.
In addition to this, more trust must also be built between the parties. Two of the main actors in this conflict are religious groups. The ex-Seleka group was composed of Muslims who felt like they were not being respected nor did they feel like they were being heard. The anti-Balaka group is a Christian group who feel like the Muslim groups are attacking them. Before 2013, there were many communities in which both Muslims and Christians lived peacefully. After the start of the conflict, the actors involved in this conflict started to sow the seeds of mistrust amongst the other religious groups.[22] Rebuilding the trust despite the already very present religious polarization is essential to ending the conflict. Strategies such as active listening and nonviolent communication are essential to the other side feeling heard. Asking open questions is also very important in being able to fully understand what the other side wants. Making assumptions and basing your negotiation off of that may be detrimental to the negotiations and the mediation process.
Although much easier said than done, something must be done to end this conflict. Blood is being shed needlessly and the future of the country is uncertain. A strong and fair government must be established in order to end the humanitarian crisis and to ensure that the next generation is able to grow up in much better and more stable conditions.
[1] “The World Bank in Central African RepublicOverview.” World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview.
[2] Ibid., 2
[3] Ibid., 2
[4] Ibid., 2
[5] “Central African Republic: Seleka Fighters Regroup in North.” Human Rights Watch, 28 Oct. 2020, https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/02/05/central-african-republic-seleka-fighters-regroup-north.
[6] Center for Preventive Action. “Instability in the Central African Republic | Global Conflict Tracker.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 11 May 2022, https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-central-african-republic.
[7] “Central African Republic: The Conflict in Focus.” Conciliation Resources, 27 Aug. 2021, https://www.c-r.org/programme/east-and-central-africa/CAR-conflict-in-focus.
[8] “Success of Central African Republic Peace Agreement Dependent on Parties Ending Violence, Engaging in Dialogue, Special Representative Tells Security Council | UN Press.” United Nations, United Nations, 20 June 2019, https://press.un.org/en/2019/sc13854.doc.htm.
[9] “Making the Central African Republic's Latest Peace Agreement Stick.” Crisis Group, 29 Apr. 2020, https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/central-africa/central-african-republic/277-making-central-african-republics-latest-peace-agreement-stick.
[10] “Critical Support to Populations Affected by the Ongoing Crisis in Central African Republic and Its Regional Impact.” UN World Food Programme, 2017, https://www.wfp.org/operations/200799-critical-support-populations-affected-ongoing-crisis-central-african-republic-and.
[11] Ibid., 11
[12] “Central African Republic.” OCHA, 4 Jan. 2023, https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/car.
[13] “Central African Republic Factsheet.” European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/africa/central-african-republic_en.
[14] Ibid., 13
[15] STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS. “About the Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA).” About the Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) | EEAS Website, 15 Sept. 2021, https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eutm-rca/about-military-training-mission-central-african-republic-eutm-rca_en?s=334.
[16] “Central African Republic: Council Extends the Mandates of the Civilian Advisory Mission and the Military Training Mission.” Consilium, 28 July 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/07/28/central-african-republic-council-extends-the-mandates-of-the-civilian-advisory-mission-and-the-military-training-mission/.
[17] EURACTIV.com, and Reuters. “EU Suspends Military Training in Central Africa over Russian Mercenaries.” Www.euractiv.com, EURACTIV, 16 Dec. 2021, https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-suspends-military-training-in-central-africa-over-russian-mercenaries/.
[18] “Central African Republic.” European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, 28 Oct. 2022, https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/africa/central-african-republic_en.
[19] Ibid., 10
[20] “Gender Section.” MINUSCA, 19 Aug. 2021, https://minusca.unmissions.org/en/gender.
[21] “Women's Participation and a Better Understanding of the Political.” Women's Participation and a Better Understanding of the Political | Global Study on the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, UNWOMEN, 2015, https://wps.unwomen.org/participation/.
[22] De Marie Heungoup, Hans, and Julie David de Lossy. “In Search of the State in the Central African Republic.” Crisis Group, 13 Mar. 2020, https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/central-africa/central-african-republic/search-state-central-african-republic.