Peace Agreements Database

Country/entity

Central African Republic

Region

Africa (excl MENA)

Agreement name

Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (Khartoum Accord)

Date

05/02/2019

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 - comprehensive (Agreement)

Conflict nature

Government

Peace process

154: CAR: African Initiative (and related) Process

A process supported by the AU as the African Initiative, but later supplemented by Sudan-Russia mediated agreements.

Parties

Government of the Central African Republic

His Excellency Professor Faustin Archange TOUADERA 
President of the Central African Republic 
Head of State

        Armed groups

Mr. Maxime MOKOM
Anti-Balaka – Mokom Branch    Mr. Dieudonné NDOMATE
Anti-Balaka – Ngaïssona Branch
Mr. Martin KOUMTAMADJI
Alias Abdoulaye Miskine
Front Démocratique du
Peuple Centrafricain (FDPC)    Mr. Adam NOUREIDINE
Front Populaire pour la Renaissance 
de la Centrafrique (FPRC)
Mr. Gilbert TOUMOU-DEYA
Mouvement des Libérateurs
Centrafricains pour la Justice (MLCJ)    Mr. Alkatim Ahamat MAHAMAT
Mouvement Patriotique pour la 
Centrafrique (MPC)
Mr. Herbert Gotran DJONO-AHABA Rassemblement Patriotique pour
le Renouveau de la Centrafrique (RPRC)    Mr. Bi-Sidi SOULEMANE alias Sidiki,
Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation
(3R)
Ms. Esther Audrienne GUETEL-MOÏBA
Révolution et Justice-Belanga Branch
(RJ-Belanga)    Mr. Armel MINGATOLOUM-SAYO
Révolution et Justice-Sayo Branch
(RJ-Sayo Branch)
Mr. Hisseine AKACHA
Séléka Rénovée    Mr. Philippe WAGRAMALE
Union des Forces Républicaines
(UFR)
Mr. Dieu Bénit Christian GBEYA-KIKOBET
Union des Forces Républicaines-
Fondamentales (UFR-F)    Mr. Ali Darassa MAHAMAT
Union pour la Paix en
Centrafrique (UPC)

Third parties

   II.    The Guarantors

African Union    Economic Community of
Central African States
His Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki MAHAMAT
Chair of the Commission    Ambassador Adolphe NAHAYO
Representative of the Secretary-General

        III.    The Facilitators

Mr. Jean-Pierre LACROIX
(United Nations)    Republic of Angola
Republic of Cameroon    Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo    Gabonese Republic
Republic of the Sudan    Republic of Chad
Republic of Equatorial Guinea    

Description

This comprehensive agreements details commitments by both the government and armed groups with a view to ending the conflict. It is supported and signed by the conflict parties and international actors and provides detailed implementation and monitoring provisions.

Agreement document

CF_190205_Political_Agreement_for_Peace_and_Reconciliation.pdf []

Agreement document (original language)

CF_190205_Accord-pour-la-paix-et-la-réconciliation-en-Centrafrique.pdf []

Main category

Page 3, Preamble
Recognizing that the majority of the population of the Central African Republic is made up of children and women who have been deeply affected by the armed conflict, and that the full protection of their rights and the cessation of abuses and hostilities are objectives common to all Parties;

Page 4, Section I, Article I
(g) Rejection of violence against women and children;

Page 4, Section I, Article I
(c) Recognition of cultural and religious diversity and appreciate for the contributions of all components of the society of the Central African Republic by promoting the inclusion, particularly of minorities, women and youth, in the management of the State and in the task of national reconstruction;

Page 5, Section II, Article 4
(d) To ensure that all citizens of the Central African Republic, including the members of the armed groups adhering to this Agreement seeking to establish political parties or movements, may do so without restriction, in accordance with the laws in force in the country; and that the institutions of the Republic at all levels of government guarantee that the rich diversity of the Central African Republic is represented, devoting special attention to minorities and less represented groups, such as women and youth.

Page 7, Section III, Article 5
(c) To refrain from engaging in any act of destruction or illegal occupation of public buildings and sites, such as hospitals, schools and places of worship, and sites for internally displaced persons, as well as all acts of pillage or violations committed against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence, in particular against women and girls.

Page 14, Annex 1
2. The Parties agree that this immediate, complete, and irrevocable cessation of hostilities commits them to scrupulously refrain from:
(d) Any act of violence against women and girls, or of sexual or gender-based violence.

Page 15, Annex 1
Prefectural Implementation Committee
A Prefectural Implementation Committee shall be established within seven (7) days of signature of the Agreement in order to ensure compliance, facilitate the sharing of information and create a peaceful environment throughout the prefecture. The Committee shall be chaired ipso jure by the Prefect and shall be composed of a representative of the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic, a representative of the internal security forces, a political leader from every signatory armed group with an active military presence in the prefecture, two representatives of every religious community (appointed by consensus by their peers or, failing that, by the Prefect) and two representatives of civil society organizations representing youth and women (appointed by consensus by the communities or, failing that, by the Prefect).

Women, girls and gender

Participation

Effective participation

Page 5, Section II, Article 4
(d) To ensure that all citizens of the Central African Republic, including the members of the armed groups adhering to this Agreement seeking to establish political parties or movements, may do so without restriction, in accordance with the laws in force in the country; and that the institutions of the Republic at all levels of government guarantee that the rich diversity of the Central African Republic is represented, devoting special attention to minorities and less represented groups, such as women and youth.

Equality

No specific mention.

Particular groups of women

No specific mention.

International law

No specific mention.

New institutions

No specific mention.

Violence against women

Sexual violence

Page 7, Section III, Article 5
(c) To refrain from engaging in any act of destruction or illegal occupation of public buildings and sites, such as hospitals, schools and places of worship, and sites for internally displaced persons, as well as all acts of pillage or violations committed against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence, in particular against women and girls.

Page 14, Annex 1
2. The Parties agree that this immediate, complete, and irrevocable cessation of hostilities commits them to scrupulously refrain from:
(d) Any act of violence against women and girls, or of sexual or gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence/VAW (general)

Page 3, Preamble
Recognizing that the majority of the population of the Central African Republic is made up of children and women who have been deeply affected by the armed conflict, and that the full protection of their rights and the cessation of abuses and hostilities are objectives common to all Parties;

Page 4, Section I, Article I
(g) Rejection of violence against women and children;

Page 7, Section III, Article 5
(c) To refrain from engaging in any act of destruction or illegal occupation of public buildings and sites, such as hospitals, schools and places of worship, and sites for internally displaced persons, as well as all acts of pillage or violations committed against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence, in particular against women and girls.

Page 14, Annex 1
2. The Parties agree that this immediate, complete, and irrevocable cessation of hostilities commits them to scrupulously refrain from:
(d) Any act of violence against women and girls, or of sexual or gender-based violence.

Transitional justice

No specific mention.

Institutional reform

No specific mention.

Development

Rehabilitation and reconstruction

Page 4, Section I, Article I
(c) Recognition of cultural and religious diversity and appreciate for the contributions of all components of the society of the Central African Republic by promoting the inclusion, particularly of minorities, women and youth, in the management of the State and in the task of national reconstruction;

Implementation

Women's role and consideration in implementation of the agreement

Page 15, Annex 1
Prefectural Implementation Committee
A Prefectural Implementation Committee shall be established within seven (7) days of signature of the Agreement in order to ensure compliance, facilitate the sharing of information and create a peaceful environment throughout the prefecture. The Committee shall be chaired ipso jure by the Prefect and shall be composed of a representative of the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic, a representative of the internal security forces, a political leader from every signatory armed group with an active military presence in the prefecture, two representatives of every religious community (appointed by consensus by their peers or, failing that, by the Prefect) and two representatives of civil society organizations representing youth and women (appointed by consensus by the communities or, failing that, by the Prefect).

Other

No specific mention.