[Chair] [0.240s → 0.560s]: Foreign.
[Vice-Chair] [8.400s → 93.380s]: 41st Meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The positional agenda for this meeting is the situation in the Central African Republic. The agenda is adopted in accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure. I invite the representative of the Central African Republic to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S649, the report of the Secretary-General on the Central African Republic. Members of the Council have before them document S2025 737, the text of a draft resolution submitted by France. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the vote. I give the floor to the representative of France.
[Delegate of France] [96.260s → 96.980s]: Merci.
[Representative of France] [97.780s → 218.300s]: Thank you, Mr. President. President, I welcome the representative of the Central African Republic in the chamber today. The text we will be voting on shortly calls for the renewal of MINUSCA's mandate for one more year. This text marks an inflection point in the action being taken by the Council and the international community with a view to supporting the stabilization of the CAR over the last few months. Indeed, under the authority of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, significant progress has been made through this resolution. Thanks to it, MINUSCA will be able to continue its action across the priority areas. This involves the holding of elections, the protection of civilians, the extension of State authority across the entire territory of the CAR and the implementation of the peace process. The Council is responding to a request from the Central African Republic, a request to continue supporting it throughout this crucial period that is beginning, and this thanks to the progress that was made over the last few years. The challenge is to ensure the sustainable restoration of peace and security in the CAR. This is the prerequisite that would then allow for a progressive, orderly and successful transfer of peacekeeping responsibilities to the national authorities, turning MINUSCA into a peacekeeping success story. Throughout the lengthy process of crafting this text, France worked hard to lead inclusive negotiations taking into account the positions of each member state. France thanks all Council members and welcomes the excellent coordination with the Central African Republic. The constructive engagement of all in these discussions meant that we managed to achieve a balanced and consensual text as much as possible. The path to normalization has opened up. Let us send the Central African Republic messages of support which it needs.
[Chair] [218.300s → 218.940s]: I thank you.
[Vice-Chair] [219.690s → 631.680s]: I thank the representative of France for the statement. I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote. Will those in favour of the draft resolution contained in document S2025 737 please raise their hand? Those against abstention. The result of the voting is as follows: 14 votes in favour, 0 votes against, 1 abstention. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2800. I give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the vote. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as a representative of Sierra Leone. Colleagues, I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3 members, namely Algeria, Guyana, Somalia and my own country Sierra Leone. We thank the penholder France for their constructive approach during the smooth negotiation process. The A3 welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2800, which renews and extends the mandate of MINUSCA post resolution 2745. We are particularly pleased that this Council continues to demonstrate such unity on the activities of MINUSCA, which is reflective of significant progress on the ground over the past year. Colleagues, the Central African Republic is at a critical crossroads moment. Despite significant progress made to restore state authority in all parts of the country, with immense support from MINUSCA, including MINUSCA's assistance to overcome the threats posed by armed groups, the security situation along its common borders remains fragile. The A3 wishes to remind this Council that as the electoral cycle has entered an active and decisive phase in the midst of difficult resource constraints, with four tiers of elections, i.e. the presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections scheduled for 28 December this year, the outcome will be a turning point to extend and consolidate state authority as well as anchor institutional stability. We wish to recall that local elections have been held after more than three decades and represent a significant milestone in the Central African Republic's democracy. The A3 welcomes the government's continued effort and the progress made in the peace and DDR processes, and calls on the government to spare no effort in ensuring that these processes remain on track, transparent and nationally led. In this context, the A3 reaffirms that MINUSCA remains indispensable to CAR. Stabilization and discussion of a transition or reconfiguration must be guided by the progress and practical realities on the ground and in close consultation with the national authorities. In conclusion, we are also mindful of the liquidity challenges facing the United Nations. However, we still underscore the need for predictable and sustainable financing for MINUSCA to effectively deliver its mandate. Colleagues, the A3 remains steadfast in its commitment to peace, stability and the full restoration of state authority in the Central African Republic. The A3 looks forward to continued progress and stands ready to support the government and people of the Central African Republic on their path to sustaining peace. I thank you. I assume my function as President of the Council and I will give the floor to the representative of Pakistan. Thank you, Mr. President. Pakistan thanks France as the penholder for its commendable efforts on this important resolution. Pakistan voted in favour of the resolution. With 1400 troops, we are amongst the top troop contributors to MINUSCA. MINUSCA is one of the success stories of United Nations peacekeeping over the past decade. It has played a critical role in stabilising the Central African Republic through its multi-dimensional approach. Combining political engagement, protection of civilians, DDR, electoral support, extension of state authority and assistance to national institutions, MINUSCA has embodied the very essence of multi-dimensional peace operations. Cooperation between the mission and the host authorities has also remained exemplary. Pakistan hopes that the mission's transition discussions within the Security Council and with the host government will be guided by ground realities, national priorities and the imperative of preserving the gains achieved over the past decade through immense sacrifice. The focus should remain on a careful and conditions-based transition, not risking reversal through undue haste or external pressures. Mr. President, maintaining international peace and security is the core responsibility of this Council. Under the UN Charter, United Nations peacekeeping remains the most effective and visible instrument at the Council's disposal to fulfil that mandate. MINUSCA is a clear example that peacekeeping works. This vital instrument must be employed effectively to advance political solutions, protect civilians and preserve stability. It must remain a collective endeavour. I thank you.
[Delegate of the United States] [632.240s → 913.110s]: Thank you, Mr. President. The United States also appreciates France's efforts to incorporate our position into this resolution. Unfortunately, we do not believe that a one-year extension of the mandate or the reduction in the troop ceiling accurately reflects a number of priorities of this Council and the situation on the ground. And for that reason we must abstain. The Central African Republic, we agree, is at a pivotal time. With upcoming elections, the country stands at an important milestone on the path to peace, stability and prosperity. Given this, the United States proposed extending MINUSCA's current mandate for six months. We believe strongly, as I am sure many on the Council also believe, that the upcoming elections are a key indicator for MINUSCA's mandate implementation, showing both the CAR government's commitment to peaceful political processes as well as the CAR government's ability to extend and maintain state authority. Both our mission and the CAR government see elections as a milestone for moving into a consolidation phase. The six-month extension would give the Council a clearer picture of which tasks need to be prioritised and how the mandate would then be adjusted. Entering the mission's consolidation phase, we were certainly willing to negotiate on a 12-month renewal provided certain conditions were met. The Council should always consider peacekeeping missions as temporary. These missions must work themselves out of a job and our highest goal as a Council must be to maintain pressure on parties to take the tough political decisions to create a security and political situation where missions are able to draw down and transfer responsibilities to host governments. The Council should continually review the cost and size of missions to ensure that Member State contributions are effectively and efficiently directed towards that goal. Our request for a reduction in the troop ceiling was designed to recognise the mission's actual operational footprint on the ground and to ensure that only high-performing units are operating in the mission. Since 2018, we have certainly championed the cause of focusing on high-performance peacekeeping operations as reflected in the historic efforts by the United States to pen UNSCR 2436, which emphasised performance and accountability in our peacekeeping missions. Furthermore, in line with the reform agenda and the UN 80 agenda, a larger reduction would have driven the mission to create more realistic budgets to deal with the UN's liquidity crisis. The United States, of course, is committed to supporting international peace and security. Over the history of MINUSCA, the United States has been by far the largest financial contributor to the mission. This mandate, we want to be sure to emphasise, does contain two important developments. By calling for a report on MINUSCA's progress and planning for transition of responsibilities to the CAR government, this mandate takes an important step to ensuring enhanced accountability and planning for eventual transition. Additionally, we are pleased to see the Council express its firm intent to review troop ceiling numbers after the completion of elections in CAR. Peacekeeping missions must adapt to the conditions on the ground and as a Council, we must continue to work to ensure the mission and the CAR government are working together towards an eventual drawdown and transition of responsibility as conditions permit. While MINUSCA plays an important role in the CAR, ultimately the CAR government is responsible for ensuring progress towards peace, stability and prosperity. We encourage the CAR government to continue working productively with MINUSCA, and we urge the government and the political opposition to engage in open and constructive dialogue ahead of these critical upcoming elections. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Vice-Chair] [913.270s → 919.910s]: I thank the representative of the United States for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.
[Representative of the Russian Federation] [922.580s → 1043.290s]: President, the Russian Federation voted in favour of extending the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR. The document we adopted today unequivocally evidences support on the part of the Council to the efforts being undertaken by the CAR government so as to consolidate significant progress on the security track and further transition to civilian life. We are satisfied with the consistent progress and the normalization of the situation in the CAR, something that was made possible to a large extent thanks to Russia's support. We note the significant contribution of MINUSCA peacekeepers. This mission has, especially over the last few years, proven in practice that UN peacekeeping is a unique and working instrument of international assistance for settling armed conflicts. It's important to note that the Council spoke out in favour of maintaining the key parameters of the mandate resolution and this despite the attempts of one country to change these parameters to satisfy national political priorities. We are grateful to the authors of the draft for their constructive and consistent approach to the text. Full support from the CAR government on the part of the mission is particularly important during the electoral period. Without a doubt, this period will be completed and will turn a page on this tragic period in the CAR's history, opening up the way for a responsible and gradual shift in focus in international support towards development. We stand ready to continue supporting our Central African friends on this arduous path and we wish them every success as they undertake the upcoming general election. I thank you.
[Vice-Chair] [1043.770s → 1049.690s]: I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of China.
[Representative of China] [1052.970s → 1158.590s]: President. For some time now, under the leadership of SRSG Rugbyza, MINUSCA has made significant contributions in areas such as electoral preparations, DDR, border stabilization and decentralization. The resolution just adopted extends MINUSCA's mandate for one year, which is in line with the expectations of the CAR government and all sectors of society. It will facilitate the smooth conduct of elections at all levels and provide support for political stability and domestic peace in the country. We welcome this and we voted in favour of the resolution. We commend the penholder France for its efforts during the consultations with the political and peace processes in CAR at a critical juncture. The encouragement and support of the international community are essential. The international community should continue to help the country consolidate the current positive momentum and support the further implementation of key policy priorities, including the political agreement for peace and reconciliation and the National Development Plan, thereby contributing to political stability and economic recovery in the country. China will continue its support for the work of SRSG Rugbyza and MINUSCA. We expect MINUSCA to implement the relevant recommendations of the independent Strategic Review released last year, focus its limited resources on the most pressing tasks in the country and continue to enhance the effectiveness of mandate delivery so as to lay the foundation for its work in the next phase and make new contributions to lasting peace and stability in the country. Thank you, President.
[Vice-Chair] [1159.710s → 1167.550s]: I thank the representative of China for the statement. And I give the floor to the representative of the Central African Republic.
[Representative of the Central African Republic] [1173.480s → 1457.660s]: Mr. President, distinguished members of the Council, thank you for giving me the floor. Allow me at the outset to thank Sierra Leone for the exemplary way in which it has taken up the Security Council presidency this month. Mr. President, the Central African Republic welcomes the renewal for one year of MINUSCA's mandate. And we would like to express through me our thanks to France for its commitment and its wisdom that led to this outcome. I'd also like to express our profound gratitude to all members of the Council for their availability, their readiness to listen, and the flexibility that they demonstrated throughout these negotiations. Mr. President, this renewal comes at a time at which our country is engaged in a historic turning point. We are consolidating the achievements of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, gradually and irreversibly extending state authority and preparing for and holding local and general elections this year and next. I'd like to thank all members of the Council for the spirit of compromise that they've shown in terms of the adjustment of the troop ceiling. This flexibility supports national efforts to ensure lasting peace and a peaceful, transparent and secure electoral process. Fully aware of the budgetary challenges at the United Nations and challenges to funding peace, we hope that this mandate renewal will go hand in hand with the necessary financial contributions to allow MINUSCA to implement this mandate and to thus meet the needs for peace of the Central African people. Mr. President, peace in the Central African Republic will only endure if it continues to be built by Central Africans themselves. This is in line with the spirit of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. The government has made major progress, including in the dissolving, disarming and demobilising of 13 armed groups, as well as in the gradual deployment of defence and security forces and the territorial administration of justice. We'd like to profoundly thank MINUSCA for its role. Indeed, their multifaceted support remains crucial at this stage of the stabilization process. The Central African Republic reaffirms that MINUSCA's presence is part of a partnership based on respect for sovereignty, operational coordination and the gradual transfer of responsibilities in accordance with the conditions set by the Council. Mr. President, as recalled by His Excellency President Faustin Archange Touadéra, President of the Republic, in his letter dated 11 October 2025, addressed to the President of the Council, the Central African Republic never saw MINUSCA's presence as a permanent solution. That's why the government continues to have a clear vision here, that is to prepare the ground for a responsible, orderly withdrawal based on the realities on the ground. This transition demands full security across the territory, national capacity building, bolstering judicial institutions, and consistent support from bilateral and multilateral partners. We welcome the request made to the Secretary-General to present next year a roadmap for a gradual transfer of tasks to the Central African state, while at the same time avoiding a hasty transition that would risk compromising the hard-won gains. Mr. President, civilian protection remains at the heart of national priorities. We welcome the mandate's provisions that strengthen efforts to counter serious human rights violations, that protect women and girls from sexual violence, that prevent the recruitment of children and that counter hate speech. The Central African Republic will continue with its efforts, including through the Special Criminal Court, National Court, the Truth Justice Reparation Reconciliation Commission, but also in our capacity as a country that champions the Prove It Matters. Renewing our Promise to Children campaign with the office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Members of the Council, the Central African Republic renews its commitment to working with MINUSCA, the UN system and all regional and international partners to consolidate peace, to prepare for the holding of peaceful elections, and to strengthen the state's authorities across our country's territory. We will move forward with humility, but also determination, convinced that every step ahead is a step towards irreversible peace. Thank you.
[Vice-Chair] [1458.440s → 1468.760s]: I thank the representative of the Central African Republic for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.
[Chair] [1483.490s → 1483.730s]: It.