Situation report based on UNSC briefing: Central African Republic (CAR)

On 26 June 2025, the UN Security Council convened an open briefing, subsequently moving into closed consultations to discuss the ongoing challenges facing the Central African Republic (CAR). The briefing, presented by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, drew from the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2025/383) covering developments from 13 February to 13 June 2025. Representatives from the CAR government participated under Rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules.

Political Developments and Electoral Outlook

Political attention in CAR remains concentrated on the critical electoral calendar for this year, notably the unprecedented local elections—the first planned in nearly 40 years. However, progress has been severely hampered by repeated delays, significant financial gaps, and logistical obstacles.

MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission, has intensified its patrols to secure voter registration processes and encourage greater participation from marginalized communities, including women, youth, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees. Yet, financial challenges persist, with the National Electoral Authority recently revising the local election budget upwards to $21.8 million, leaving an unfunded gap of approximately $9 million. Council members reiterated the urgent call for international financial assistance, emphasizing that successful elections are pivotal to stabilizing and consolidating state authority across CAR.

Technical setbacks have also emerged in the voter registration process, notably omissions of voter names, complicating the planned August timeline for local elections. Currently, discussions between CAR authorities and the UN consider merging local elections with the upcoming legislative and presidential elections scheduled for December 2025—contingent upon overcoming these hurdles.

Presidential Elections and Internal Political Dialogue

In the context of the 2023 constitutional referendum, which removed presidential term limits, incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra is poised to seek a third term. He enjoys substantial support from the ruling majority and affiliated youth groups, although his candidacy faces strong opposition from political parties united under the Bloc républicain pour la défense de la Constitution du 30 mars 2016 (BRDC).

Opposition protests erupted in April, advocating for direct dialogue mediated by an external African facilitator—a proposal the government rejects. Instead, Touadéra’s administration has proposed an indirect dialogue format excluding his direct involvement, a stance opposed vigorously by BRDC and allied parties.

Peace Agreement Implementation and Regional Diplomacy

The implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (APPR-RCA) remains a cornerstone of the peace process in CAR. On its sixth anniversary (6 February 2025), stakeholders acknowledged both incremental progress and significant remaining challenges, particularly in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs and election preparations.

In a significant diplomatic push, the CAR government resumed dialogue with armed groups through Chadian-mediated negotiations held in N’Djamena in April 2025. Key armed factions, notably Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation (3R) and Unité pour la Paix en Centrafrique (UPC), committed to cease hostilities and reaffirmed their engagement with the APPR-RCA. Council members expressed strong support for this diplomatic achievement and urged remaining factions to adopt similar commitments.

Security Dynamics and Regional Spillover Risks

Security conditions in CAR remain deeply unstable, especially in western and eastern areas, driven largely by competition over natural resources and control of strategic roadways. Violence continues to inflict severe humanitarian consequences, with civilians experiencing widespread abuses including killings, sexual violence, kidnappings, forced displacement, and extortion.

Regional instability, particularly from the crisis in Sudan, further complicates the security environment. A stark example is the 20 June incident, where suspected Sudanese armed elements killed a Zambian MINUSCA peacekeeper near CAR’s border in Vakaga prefecture. Council members condemned the attack strongly, noting growing concerns about incursions by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into CAR territory. President Touadéra, as current chair of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), highlighted regional threats posed by Sudan’s conflict in his communication to the UN Secretary-General in April. CAR further engaged directly with Sudanese military leaders through high-level diplomacy conducted in Port Sudan in May.

Human Rights Crisis

Human rights conditions in CAR remain dire. Violations and abuses documented by MINUSCA rose by 15 percent, including continued grave violations against children and conflict-related sexual violence. Although overall victim numbers have slightly decreased, the persistent severity of abuses remains deeply troubling for Council members, who await MINUSCA’s comprehensive annual human rights report due later this month.

MINUSCA’s Funding Crisis

MINUSCA continues to grapple with significant financial constraints, exacerbated by delayed payment of assessed contributions amid the broader liquidity crisis facing the UN. Currently, the mission's Special Account has unpaid contributions amounting to approximately $410.7 million. The United States, historically a key financial contributor, has increasingly criticized UN peacekeeping missions, including MINUSCA, citing operational inefficiencies and signalling potential reductions in future support. Despite the Council’s unanimous renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate via Resolution 2759 in November 2024, uncertainty regarding future US funding decisions casts doubt on the sustainability of operations ahead of the mission’s next mandate renewal in November 2025.