AU Says CAR Must Focus On Reaching Peace, Not Disputing Election Results - Commissioner

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2021) The Central African Republic (CAR) should focus on reaching peace in the country instead of disputing election results, the African Union's Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, told Sputnik.

The car declared a state of emergency last week, after rebel forces that refused to recognize the results of the December presidential election attacked the country's capital of Bangui. The country's Constitutional Council court confirmed President Faustin-Archange Touadera's victory after the first round and disqualified his main rival, Francois Bozize, "on morality grounds." The CAR saw several clashes between supporters of Bozize and Touadera ahead of the election.

"The elections in the CAR took place in a very tense atmosphere with attempts to destabilize the polls by some stakeholders but it went ahead nevertheless and we congratulate the people of the CAR, President Faustin Archange Touadera for his re-election and of course [United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission] MINUSCA and other partners who made it possible for the people of the CAR to express their will. The constitutional court has pronounced itself and I believe the time has come to focus on pacifying the country, to re-energize the implementation of the 6 February 2019 peace agreement and state building," Chergui said.

The end of hostilities should be the immediate priority, the commissioner said.

The country was struggling with a civil war long before the latest election. Since 2012, the mainly Muslim Seleca, and later, ex-Seleca, rebels were locked in conflict with mainly Christian anti-balaka groups. In February 2019, the CAR government and the leaders of 14 armed groups struck a peace deal but there were reports of its fragility. In December, several rebel groups built a coalition and accused Touadera of trying to steal the election.

Chergui noted that it was "important for the signatories of the [2019] agreement to come together and evaluate candidly the implementation of the agreement and a way forward."

The commissioner stressed the importance of accountability as another important goal.

"The people of the CAR cannot continue to die because a politician or an armed group didn't get his or her way. Lastly, the CAR partners need to pressure the parties but also incentives those who remain engaged in the peace process. The time has come for the CAR's partners to honor their pledges and support efforts to put the country on a path to peace and stability," the commissioner said.