NEW YORK, Feb 22 (KUNA) -- Kuwait has voiced regret at very critical conditions in Central African Republic where half of the population are in dire and urgent need for humanitarian aid -- a country where security has remained largely fragile despite noticeable conciliation efforts among warring parties.
Number of people, half of whom children, who need assistance and protection in the CAR, has recently climbed from 2.5 million to 2.9 million, 16 percent higher as compared to figures of the same period in 2017, said Kuwait's Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, during a session of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the African country, held late on Thursday.
"Considering the fact that the most significant development in the CAR since last UNSC session to debate conditions in that country, on February 7, 2019, was the inking of the conciliation agreement by the CAR Government with the 14 armed groups and representatives of the civil society, I join those (states) that have expressed satisfaction for inking this accord officially on February 6, 2019, under umbrella of the African Union, according to the African initiative for peace and reconciliation, with backing and facilities from the United Nations," said Al-Otaibi.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi expressed gratitude to the Sudanese Government for hosting negotiations in Khartoum on January 24-February 5, 2019, and expressed hope that the deal would end armed strifes that have been witnessed in the republic since 2012.
He lauded the stakeholders' decision to establish a follow-up mechanism to oversee effective implementation of the political concord.
There have been positive developments with respect of some African strifes, he said, singling out the conciliation efforts between Ethiopia and Eritrea, also observing that there has been noticeable stability in Somalia, a concord worked out for South Sudan, security improvement in Darfur, first peaceful power transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with emerging chances to establish peace in North Libya.
"These positive winds that constitute a glimmer of hope in the African continent could not have been available without efforts by the African Union, regional organizations, desire of the African states' governments to attain development and enforce tangible security, with UN support, and undoubtedly due to the cooperation by the regional states among themselves," Al-Otaibi continued.
The Kuwaiti representative hoped cooperation among concerned parties would proceed till establishing a comprehensive and lasting peace in all regions of the CAR that are rich in natural and human resources, so that people may enjoy security and stability and capitalize on progress and development efforts in the run-up to presidential election the years 2020 and 2021.
Nevertheless, violent incidents in the CAR remain a significant challenge to the government, Al-Otaibi said, affirming that, in spite of the political progress, conditions in the CAR capital, Bangui, and some regions in the African republic, have remained unstable.
Since flare-up of violence in the CAR in 2013, security conditions in the African country have remained alarming due to escalation of clashes among the warring armed groups and parties, as a result of inflammatory rhetoric of hatred, religious and sectarian incitement, he adds.
Moreover, he expressed concern due to the recurring violations and attacks by radical armed groups on UN staff and the UN mission entrusted with seeking stability in the republic, as well as workers of philanthropic agencies.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi strongly denounced these assaults, some of which have targeted Muslims and their religious symbols and sacred worshipping places. Equally, he condemned all attacks on peoples of diverse religions and their sacred shrines and places where they practice their rituals.
The senior Kuwaiti diplomat expressed support for efforts by the CAR authorities to halt armed action, educate the people to restrain the rhetoric of hatred and bolster the principle of peaceful co-existence among all segments of the society.
Furthermore, Al-Otaibi affirmed that the government must bring to account all culprits of violence, cancel the culture of pardoning criminals, urgently, and prosecuting them for sake of conserving the peace.
If the efforts of dialogue culminate with success and sustainable concord among all the political parties in the CAR, there will be positive impact on the humanitarian, economic and conditions as well as development in the country, in addition to return of the displaced and the refugees, he has concluded. (end) asf.rk