WASHINGTON – The US State Department in a statement late last week expressed support for a United Nations Security Council resolution that established a peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic (C.A.R.):
The United States commends the United Nations Security Council for its leadership in adopting a forward looking resolution today to address the crisis in C.A.R. Today’s resolution authorizes establishment of a UN peacekeeping operation in September 2014, which will build on the strong work and sacrifices made by the African Union-led International Support Mission in C.A.R. (MISCA) and French forces, as well as the EU forces that will soon join them. The new UN integrated mission in C.A.R. (MINUSCA) will have the responsibility not only to protect civilians and establish a safe environment for delivery of humanitarian assistance, but also to help support the reestablishment of governance, assist in election preparations, facilitate the disarmament and demobilization of combatants, assist in reconciliation, promote and protect human rights, and support the formation of accountability mechanisms for those responsible for human rights abuses.
We will continue to work tirelessly with our international partners to hold accountable all individuals responsible for atrocities committed in C.A.R. We look forward to working within the Security Council to ensure appropriate targeted sanctions are levied against political spoilers and those individuals perpetrating human rights abuses.
The United States is committed to working with the United Nations and the international community to support the efforts of the C.A.R. transitional government to end the violence and build a transitional political process leading to democratic elections by February 2015. The United States has committed up to $100 million to transport, equip, and train MISCA troops and to assist French forces supporting MISCA. We recently announced an additional $22 million in humanitarian aid for the people of C.A.R., bringing our total in FY 2014 to nearly $67 million, and $7.5 million for conflict mitigation, peace messaging, and human rights programs in C.A.R.
