UN human rights chief to visit CAR, 18-20 March 2014

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will visit the war-torn Central African Republic from 18 to 20 March 2014, to discuss the dire human rights situation there with the interim Government and key international institutions and peace-keeping forces.

During her visit, Pillay plans to meet the Head of State of the Transition, Catherine Samba-Panza, the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Justice and Reconciliation and Communication. She will also meet representatives of the African Union, Economic Community of Central African States and European Union, as well as the Ambassador of France.

In addition, the High Commissioner will hold discussions with the Representative of the President of the Commission of the African Union and Head of the African Union peace-keeping force MISCA, as well as with the Force Commanders of both MISCA and the French military force, known as Sangaris.

While in Bangui, the High Commissioner will also meet UN agencies working on the ground, visit sites of destruction and displacement, and meet some of the approximately 650,000 internally displaced people in CAR.

The High Commissioner will hold a press conference from 12:15-12:45 on Thursday 20 March in the conference room in the BINUCA premises in Bangui.