Monday Talks On CAR Peace Process To Tackle Formation Of Gov't, Security - AU Commissioner

Monday Talks on CAR Peace Process to Tackle Formation of Gov't, Security - AU Commissioner

The upcoming consultation meeting on the peace process in the Central African Republic (CAR) will address outstanding concerns about government formation and security arrangements, Smail Chergui, the African Union (AU)'s peace and security commissioner, told Sputnik on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2019) The upcoming consultation meeting on the peace process in the Central African Republic (CAR) will address outstanding concerns about government formation and security arrangements, Smail Chergui, the African Union (AU)'s peace and security commissioner, told Sputnik on Saturday.

The AU-organized meeting will be held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Monday. It is expected to follow up on the progress that has been made since the car government and 14 armed groups signed a peace agreement in early February.

"As you know, some movements raised the issue of the formation of the government ... This meeting really is to get stock, one month after we sign the agreement, of where we are and also address these issues and also take additional measures in implementing other articles, mainly those relating to the security arrangements in terms of deploying the security unit on the ground, and so on," Chergui said.

The commissioner added that the implementation of this agreement on CAR peace settlement appeared to be more successful than of the previous agreements.

"I think it's more or less ... positive way that we are dealing with the matter this time compared to the former agreements," Chergui said.

He added that the meeting would last for as long as necessary.

"Whatever is needed. We are starting on Monday, March 18, and [the meeting will] certainly [continue on] Tuesday, March 19, and hopefully we can address all the matters," Chergui said.

The Central African Republic has been suffering from a drawn-out conflict since a coup in 2013. Much of the fighting in recent years has been between Muslim-majority Seleka and Christian Anti-Balaka militias.