Attachments
I. Introduction
- The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2217 (2015), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) until 30 April 2016 and requested me to report to the Council every four months. The report provides an update on the situation prevailing in the Central African Republic from the date of issuance of my previous report, 30 November 2015 (S/2015/918), to 15 March 2016, and on the implementation of the mandate of MINUSCA.
II. Major developments
A. Political and electoral developments
2 . During the reporting period, the Central African Republic achieved significant milestones in its political transition, most notably the peaceful and successful holding of a constitutional referendum on 13 December and legislative and presidential elections in December, February and March.
3 . The electoral period was marked throughout the country by generally peaceful campaigning by candidates and their supporters in accordance with the code of good conduct signed by all presidential candidates and political parties on 9 and 12 December. With the exception of security incidents that occurred during the referendum, in which 28 victims were injured, and pending the completion of the electoral process, the successive election days were free of violence. The African Union and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) deployed observer missions and issued preliminary reports welcoming the generally peaceful nature of the polls. The International Organization of la Francophonie deployed a small observation team in Bangui. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation also deployed its Special Envoy for the Central African Republic.
4 . MINUSCA and members of the United Nations country team undertook, with national and international partners, a series of activities to promote a political and security environment conducive to the holding of the elections, including support for the development and dissemination of the code of good conduct, training for political party election monitors and information sessions for presidential candidates with the National Electoral Authority. MINUSCA also held informal meetings with presidential and legislative candidates throughout the country and facilitated meetings between the Coordination Group for the Preparation of and Follow-up to the Meetings of the International Contact Group on the Central African Republic and candidates to impress on them the importance of issue-based campaigns responding to the aspirations of Central Africans, including with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Bangui Forum on National Reconciliation.
5 . The constitutional referendum held on 13 December led to the adoption of the new Constitution, with 93 per cent voting in favour. On 24 December, following the announcement by the National Electoral Authority of the provisional results of the referendum on 17 December, the Transitional Constitutional Court proclaimed the final results of the referendum, with no appeals registered.
6 . The Transitional Constitutional Court ruled on the eligibility of all presidential applications on 8 December. The Court invalidated 14 applications for the presidential race, including those of former President François Bozizé and anti-balaka leader Patrice Edouard Ngaïssona. Subsequently, the National Electoral Authority issued the lists of 30 presidential candidates (including one woman) and 1,643 legislative candidates (including 175 women) on 8 and 16 December, respectively.
7 . Following a three-day postponement, the first round of presidential and legislative elections was held on 30 December in a largely calm atmosphere, with a voter turnout of 62.3 per cent. The Transitional Constitutional Court validated the provisional results of the first round on 25 January. With regard to the legislative elections, regarding which 415 appeals were registered, the Court annulled the results and announced that a new first round would need to be held. The appeals concerned mainly alleged misconduct by National Electoral Authority field personnel, candidates, local authorities, militias and armed groups, implicating them in cases of fraud, corruption and intimidation. Complaints also concerned technical errors regarding ballot printing and the voter register. Consequently, the National Electoral Authority suspended 17 district managers allegedly implicated in election irregularities and swiftly organized a nationwide training programme to improve the performance of polling officials.
8 . The second round of presidential elections was held jointly with the new round of legislative elections on 14 February. There was a marked improvement in the overall organization of the 14 February elections, with the majority of polling stations opening on time with the required materials. The National Electoral Authority announced the provisional results on 20 February. The Transitional Constitutional Court registered three appeals regarding the presidential polls, all of which were rejected. The Court proclaimed the final results of the presidential elections on 1 March, confirming candidate Faustin Archange Touadéra as President with 62.69 per cent of the vote, and with Anicet George Dologuélé garnering 37.31 per cent. Voter turnout was 58.88 per cent.
9 . The decision by second-place presidential candidate Mr. Dologuélé to concede victory following the announcement of the provisional results had a generally positive effect on the post-electoral environment, including among his supporters. While Mr. Dologuélé alleged that there had been fraud and other irregularities during the second round, he declared that he had decided not to file complaints with the Transitional Constitutional Court in the interest of peace and stability in the country, and called on his supporters to accept the results.
10 . With regard to the new round of legislative elections, the Transitional Constitutional Court received 152 appeals. On 14 March, the Court confirmed that 45 candidates (out of a 140-seat Parliament) had been elected during the first round with an absolute majority, including anti-balaka leader Alfred Yekatom, who is on the sanctions list of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic. The Court annulled the results in 10 constituencies, which will require the holding of by-elections. The new round of legislative elections saw a notably small number of women candidates elected and admitted to the second round. Only one woman was elected in the first round, and five women were admitted to the second. The second round of legislative elections in 85 constituencies is scheduled on 31 March.
11 . Important efforts were undertaken by the United Nations, in particular the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to enable refugees in neighbouring States to participate in the electoral process. Tripartite agreements with the Governments of asylum countries hosting Central African refugees facilitated their participation. UNHCR provided logistical support to National Electoral Authority officials in gaining access to refugee camps and urban refugee settlements in Cameroon, Chad and the Congo and deployed registration materials prior to and during the vote. As a result, Central African refugees voted in the constitutional referendum and the presidential election in Cameroon, Chad and the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo did not permit refugees to register to vote. The turnout rate for the first round of the presidential elections among the registered refugee population was 61 per cent, while the turnout rate for the second round was 40 per cent of registered refugees.
12 . Financial constraints had an impact on the electoral process until the latter part of the reporting period. The funding gap was closed through an additional contribution of $1.3 million by the United States of America to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-managed electoral basket fund. Although an outstanding pledged contribution of $1.7 million remains from the contributions of ECCAS countries (Cameroon, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon), it is expected that the pledge will be disbursed in time for the completion of the last part of the electoral cycle.
13 . In parallel with the electoral process, line ministries and other transitional institutions continued the implementation of the recommendations of the Bangui Forum on National Reconciliation in collaboration with MINUSCA and other international partners, particularly in the areas of elections, disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation and security sector reform. However, the Bangui Forum follow-up committee, chaired by the Minister of Defence and composed of members of the Transitional Authority, political parties, armed groups and civil society, remained largely inactive, although members of the committee served as election monitors in Bangui and the surrounding area.