Peace Agreements Database

Country/entity

Central African Republic

Region

Africa (excl MENA)

Agreement name

Agreement between the Transitional Government and the armed groups on the principles of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation and of integration into the uniformed State forces of the Central African Republic (DDRR Agreement)

Date

10/05/2015

Agreement status

Multiparty signed/agreed

Interim arrangement

No

Agreement/conflict level

Intrastate/intrastate conflict (Central African Republic Conflicts (1996 - )

The Central African Republic conflict is one of a set of regionally connected conflicts addressed by the African Great Lakes process. After the country gained independence from France in 1960 it has been ruled by a sequence of autocratic leaders that principally gained power through coups. Since the mid-1990s several waves of internal conflict took place in the Central African Republic, primarily along tribal, and later-on increasingly sectarian, lines. In 1996 and 1997, French troops and soldiers from neighbouring countries intervened to end a mutiny in the capital, Bangui, by factions of the army. The fighting was predominantly along tribal lines, with southern tribes in revolt against the ‘northern’ government. A UN mission was installed in 1998 to secure the truce.
After General Bozizé took control of the country after several coup attempts in 2003, a ‘bush war’ began led by armed opposition forces. From late 2006 onward, government troops with French military support severely weakened the rebels. Following this, a number of agreements were signed during 2007-2008, but not all factions have accepted them. In 2011, Bozizé was re-elected in supposedly fraudulent elections, which resulted in a new wave of uprisings. Séléka, an alliance of northern rebel groups, took over parts of the country and forced Bozizé to agree to a power-sharing deal. However, after this agreement broke down, Séléka took control of Bangui and Bozizé had to flee the country in 2013. Leader of Séléka, Michel Djotodia, took office and officially disbanded Séléka. However, continual violence between ex-Séléka groups and opposing militias, collectively known as ‘anti-balaka’, persisted and Djotodia was forced to resign less than a year later. Catherine Samba-Panza was installed as interim president until Faustin Archange Touadéra was elected in January 2016. In February 2019 an agreement was signed between the government and fourteen armed groups, including ex-Seleka groups, committed to disarmament. However, violence between ex-Seleka groups and anti-balaka continues.

Central African Republic Conflicts (1996 - ) )

Stage

Framework/substantive - partial (Core issue)

Conflict nature

Government

Peace process

14: CAR: coups and rebellions process

Does this need new name?

Parties

Mr. Abel Balenguele
Deputy Coordinator
Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique

Mr. Herbert Gontran Djono Ahaba
President
Rassemblement patriotique pour le renouveau de la Centrafrique

Mr. Landa Nzengue
President
Union des forces républicaines fondamentales

General Mohamed Dhaffane
President
Séléka rénovée

Mr. Larry Nordine Mahalba
Spokesperson
Mouvement des libérateurs centrafricains pour la justice

Mr. Marcel Bagaza
Representative
Front démocratique pour le progrès de la Centrafrique

Mr. Patrice Edouard Ngaïssona
General Coordinator
Coordination des ex-combattants anti-Balaka

Mr. Souleymane Daouda
Political Adviser
Unité du peuple centrafricain

Mr. Armel Ningatouloum Sayo
President
Révolution et justice

Mr. Philippe Wagramalé Ndoto
President
Union des forces républicaines

For the Presidium of the Bangui National Forum
Abdoulaye Bathily

For the Transitional Government
Marie Noelle Koyara

For the national stakeholders
Gerard Lakosso

Third parties

– Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Babacar Gaye

– Special Representative of the African Union
[Illegible signature]

– Special Representative of the President of the Republic of the Congo and International Mediator in the crisis in Central African Republic
Basile Ikouebe

– Representative of the Economic Community of Central African States
[Illegible signature]

Description

This agreement specifies the modalities and principles or a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation program for armed group in the Central African Republic.

Agreement document

CF_150510_DDRR Agreement.pdf []

Groups

Children/youth

Rhetorical

Page 1, Preamble
Bearing in mind the pledge of 5 May 2015, signed by the politico-military groups that participated in the Bangui Forum, to end the recruitment and use of children and other serious violations of the rights of the child;

Substantive

Page 2, Article 3
The eligibility criteria for participation in the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme are as follows:
[...]
3. Children associated with armed forces and groups are eligible for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme, whether or not they have weapons.

Page 2, Article 5
Article 5
Bearing in mind the Commitment Agreement between the Government and the politico-military groups, the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall comprise the following tasks, to be conducted at the sites to which candidates for the process will report:
1. First, children associated with the politico-military groups will be identified, irrespective of whether or not they have a functioning weapon in their possession, with a view to redirecting them immediately to specific government programmes, with the support of partners;

Page 3, Article 6
Article 6
The national disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be restricted exclusively to eligible combatants. Ineligible combatants, primarily unarmed combatants, shall be transferred to their communities of origin and included in the following specific programmes:
1. The national income-generation programme for combatants and at-risk youth, carried out nationwide and supported by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Development Programme and other partners;

Disabled persons

No specific mention.

Elderly/age

No specific mention.

Migrant workers

No specific mention.

Racial/ethnic/national group

No specific mention.

Religious groups

No specific mention.

Indigenous people

No specific mention.

Other groups

No specific mention.

Refugees/displaced persons

No specific mention.

Social class

No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender

Page 2, Article 5
Bearing in mind the Commitment Agreement between the Government and the politico-military groups, the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall comprise the following tasks, to be conducted at the sites to which candidates for the process will report:
[...]
3. Eligible combatants will then be identified and registered in a database. They will receive a demobilization card. At this stage, women will be separated from men. Women shall have the same opportunities;

Men and boys

No specific mention.

LGBTI

No specific mention.

Family

No specific mention.

State definition

State definition

No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed)

No specific mention.

Constitution's affirmation/renewal

No specific mention.

Constitutional reform/making

No specific mention.

Elections

Page 2, Article 4
[...]
Before the elections, and pending the mobilization of the necessary resources for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation process, the combatants shall present themselves at specific sites, where they will be informed, identified, regrouped, disarmed and cared for during the process.

Electoral commission

No specific mention.

Political parties reform

No specific mention.

Civil society

Page 1, Preamble
Bearing in mind the commitment of all political and civil society actors in the Central African Republic to achieve peace;

Page 1, Preamble
The Transitional Government of the Central African Republic and the aforementioned armed groups, in the presence of the political establishment, civil society and the international community, agree as follows:

Page 4, Article 9
The institutional and coordination framework for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be set up by the Government and shall include representatives of the armed groups, civil society and the international community.

Traditional/religious leaders

No specific mention.

Public administration

No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing

No specific mention.

Territorial power sharing

No specific mention.

Economic power sharing

No specific mention.

Military power sharing

No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL

Page 1, Preamble
Firmly resolved to strengthen the rule of law and build a national army inclusive of all segments of Central African society;

Equality

No specific mention.

Democracy

No specific mention.

Protection measures

No specific mention.

Human rights framework

No specific mention.

Civil and political rights

No specific mention.

Socio-economic rights

No specific mention.

NHRI

No specific mention.

Regional or international human rights institutions

No specific mention.

Mobility/access

No specific mention.

Detention procedures

No specific mention.

Media and communication

No specific mention.

Citizenship

No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law

No specific mention.

State of emergency provisions

No specific mention.

Judiciary and courts

No specific mention.

Prisons and detention

No specific mention.

Traditional Laws

No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction

Socio-economic development

Page 3, Article 5
Bearing in mind the Commitment Agreement between the Government and the politico-military groups, the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall comprise the following tasks, to be conducted at the sites to which candidates for the process will report:
[...]
5. Combatants who choose to be reintegrated into the community will be transferred to their host communities with a basic support package, and will participate with other community members in community development programmes that generate training and employment opportunities, as part of the community reintegration programme.

Page 3, Article 6
The national disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be restricted exclusively to eligible combatants. Ineligible combatants, primarily unarmed combatants, shall be transferred to their communities of origin and included in the following specific programmes:
1. The national income-generation programme for combatants and at-risk youth, carried out nationwide and supported by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Development Programme and other partners;
[...]
3. The reconstruction and development programmes set up by the Government and the international community;

Humanitarian assistance

Page 3, Article 6
The national disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be restricted exclusively to eligible combatants. Ineligible combatants, primarily unarmed combatants, shall be transferred to their communities of origin and included in the following specific programmes:
1. The national income-generation programme for combatants and at-risk youth, carried out nationwide and supported by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Development Programme and other partners;
2. The community violence reduction programmes supported by MINUSCA and development partners;
3. The reconstruction and development programmes set up by the Government and the international community;
4. The Government and the leaders of the politico-military groups, together with MINUSCA and other partners, will coordinate donor-funded programmes to promote the social reinsertion of former combatants.

National economic plan

No specific mention.

Natural resources

No specific mention.

International funds

No specific mention.

Business

No specific mention.

Taxation

No specific mention.

Banks

No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights

No specific mention.

Pastoralist/nomadism rights

No specific mention.

Cultural heritage

No specific mention.

Environment

No specific mention.

Water or riparian rights or access

No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees

No specific mention.

Ceasefire

General commitments

Page 1, Article 1
The combatants affiliated with all the armed groups agree and solemnly undertake, before the people of the Central African Republic, to put a definitive end to the armed conflicts in the Central African Republic.

The combatants affiliated with those armed groups formally undertake to lay down their weapons, renounce armed struggle as a means of political advocacy, participate in a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme, and engage in political competition as defined in the present Agreement.

Police

No specific mention.

Armed forces

Page 3, Article 7
Some former combatants participating in the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme will be integrated into the uniformed State forces. The recruitment capacity of these forces shall be established under the new law on military programming and security sector reform.

Integration into the uniformed forces shall be undertaken gradually and on a case-by-case basis. It shall be governed by criteria of professionalism and fairness and shall be aimed at rebuilding the country’s security institutions.

Integration will be possible only after a transparent verification process supported by the international community.

Former combatants who volunteer to join the uniformed forces but do not pass national recruitment tests shall be redirected to the community reintegration programmes.

DDR

Demilitarisation provisions

The entire agreement sets our DDR principles, provisions, and programmes.

DDR programmes

The entire agreement sets our DDR principles, provisions, and programmes.

Intelligence services

No specific mention.

Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces

The entire agreements sets out the terms of how former combatants in armed groups will be dealt with through DDR and other programmes.

Withdrawal of foreign forces

Page 3-4, Article 8
Article 8
Combatants who are identified as foreigners and who have not committed war crimes in the Central African Republic shall be repatriated to their countries of origin. The Government, with the support of MINUSCA and other partners, shall establish international contacts with a view to the repatriation of foreign combatants.

Corruption

No specific mention.

Crime/organised crime

No specific mention.

Drugs

No specific mention.

Terrorism

No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general

No specific mention.

Amnesty/pardon

No specific mention.

Courts

No specific mention.

Mechanism

No specific mention.

Prisoner release

No specific mention.

Vetting

No specific mention.

Victims

No specific mention.

Missing persons

No specific mention.

Reparations

No specific mention.

Reconciliation

No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory

Observers
– Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
(Signed) Babacar Gaye

Other international signatory

Observers
– Special Representative of the African Union
(Signed) [Illegible signature]
– Special Representative of the President of the Republic of the Congo and International Mediator in the crisis in Central African Republic
(Signed) Basile Ikouebe
– Representative of the Economic Community of Central African States
(Signed) [Illegible signature]

Referendum for agreement

No specific mention.

International mission/force/similar

Page 3, Article 6
The national disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be restricted exclusively to eligible combatants. Ineligible combatants, primarily unarmed combatants, shall be transferred to their communities of origin and included in the following specific programmes:
1. The national income-generation programme for combatants and at-risk youth, carried out nationwide and supported by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Development Programme and other partners;
2. The community violence reduction programmes supported by MINUSCA and development partners;
3. The reconstruction and development programmes set up by the Government and the international community;
4. The Government and the leaders of the politico-military groups, together with MINUSCA and other partners, will coordinate donor-funded programmes to promote the social reinsertion of former combatants.

Page 3-4, Article 8
Combatants who are identified as foreigners and who have not committed war crimes in the Central African Republic shall be repatriated to their countries of origin. The Government, with the support of MINUSCA and other partners, shall establish international contacts with a view to the repatriation of foreign combatants.

Enforcement mechanism

Page 4, Article 9
The institutional and coordination framework for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme shall be set up by the Government and shall include representatives of the armed groups, civil society and the international community.

A monitoring and evaluation mechanism shall be established along the same lines.