The African Union calls for international assistance to facilitate the operationalization of the international support mission in the Central African Republic
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 9, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, took the opportunity of the meeting she had this morning with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Central African Republic (CAR) and Head of the UN Integrated Office in the CAR (BINUCA), General Babacar Gaye, to launch an urgent appeal to the international community to provide the necessary support towards the rapid operationalization of the African-led International Support Mission in the CAR (AFISM-CAR). Referring to the serious security and humanitarian situation on the ground, the Chairperson of the Commission stressed the need for urgent international action.
In this context, the Chairperson of the Commission underlined the importance of the urgent adoption by the UN Security Council of a resolution that would support the deployment of AFISM-CAR and pave the way for the provision, by the UN, of a flexible and predictable support to AFISM-CAR, within the framework of the partnership between the AU and the UN. Such support, she added, will enable the AFISM-CAR to quickly stabilize the security situation, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and make it possible to provide the much-needed assistance to the transitional institutions to enable them to successfully conduct the tasks entrusted to them. The effective deployment of AFISM-CAR will also create conducive conditions for a greater international engagement in support of the CAR, through the United Nations. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office to the AU, Haile Menkerios, and the AU Special Representative for CAR, Hawa Ahmed Youssouf, attended the meeting. The meeting also provided an opportunity to exchange views on the ongoing transition in the CAR and other aspects of the situation.
The Chairperson of the Commission reiterates the commitment of the AU to do everything possible to expedite the establishment of the AFISM-CAR. In this context, a meeting of representatives and experts of the AU, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the countries of the region, the United Nations, the European Union (EU), the United States and France started this morning at the AU headquarters, in Addis Ababa, to finalize the documents on the modalities for the implementation of the AFISM-CAR Strategic Concept of Operations, as endorsed by the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on 19 July 2013.
The Chairperson of the Commission urges all Member States in a position to do so, to contribute towards the mobilization of financial resources and the necessary logistical support for the rapid deployment of the AFISM-CAR. She appeals to the international community to provide humanitarian assistance commensurate with the needs of the CAR.