A Chinese envoy to the United Nations said on Wednesday that the current political peace process in the Central African Republic (CAR) is at a critical stage, and called on the international community to increase assistance to the country.
Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the statement at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the CAR. He said that China appreciates the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, or MINUSCA, and will continue to support its work.
Dai pointed out that the CAR is in a critical period of transition from peacekeeping to peace building. He called on the international community to support the CAR government in promoting the political peace process, helping the country cope with security challenges and lay a solid foundation for peace.
"The international community should enhance the support for the CAR government to strengthen its security capacity building. The MINUSCA should continue to support the CAR national defense and security forces in strengthening their deployment in accordance with the authorization from the Security Council, to improve their ability to protect civilians and respond to threats from armed groups," Dai said.
Dai said that China expects the Security Council to push the MINUSCA to streamline and optimize its mandate in accordance with the actual situation and development needs of the countries concerned, to continuously enhance its ability to perform its duties and the effectiveness of its operations.
The CAR has long been struggling amid political turmoil and armed conflicts. Since the civil war broke out in 2013, armed groups have been competing for resources and control, leading to widespread violence and social instability. At the same time, the intervention of foreign forces has exacerbated the complexity of the situation.
The CAR is also facing a serious humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced, living on food and medical assistance from the international community.