Central African Republic: UN human rights expert visit

GENEVA, Switzerland, February 2, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic, Marie-Thérèse Keita Bocoum, will visit the Central African Republic (CAR) from 3 to 14 February 2015. This fourth visit aims to take stock of the developments on the ground and the implementation of the recommendations that the Independent Expert had made during her previous visits.

"The situation in CAR seems to be at a crossroads, with positive initiatives, such as launching of national consultations to prepare the Bangui forum on national reconciliation. At the same time, the security situation remains precarious and the threats and abuses persist, affecting the human rights of civilians and displaced populations who are awaiting better protection," said the independent expert.

During this visit, the Independent Expert hopes to travel within the country to assess the human rights and rule of law situation, and inquire in particular about the living conditions of the internally displaced and vulnerable people. She will meet with members of the transitional government, the judiciary, civil society, and international partners including within the United Nations system, to identify challenges and measure progress in the implementation of her previous recommendations.

The results of this mission, including the findings of the Independent Expert, will be presented to the Human Rights Council in an oral report in March this year