STATEMENT BY H.E. AMBASSADOR MOHAMED EDREES ON THE PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION COUNTRY SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION ON THE CAR

  Delivered by H.E. Mohamed Edrees

Head of Mission to the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations

3rd October 2025

Thank you, Mister Chair and dear brother, for convening this important

meeting.

At the outset, allow me to warmly welcome and commend the participation of “Her Excellency Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic”. I also wish to express our appreciation for the insightful remarks delivered by the briefers, as well as the valuable contributions of all other distinguished speakers.

We further extend our gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco and to His Excellency Ambassador Omar Hilale, Chair of the Country-Specific Configuration on the Central African Republic, for his steadfast commitment and Morocco’s sustained engagement in support of the sisterly Central African Republic.

Mister Chair,

The African Union, through the voice of the Chairperson of the Commission, welcomed the signing of the peace agreement concluded on 19 April 2025 in N’Djamena between the Government of the Central African Republic and the armed groups Unité pour la Paix en Centrafrique (UPC) and Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation (3R), as part of efforts to revitalize the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. We further welcomed the formal announcement, on 10 July 2025 in Bangui, of the dissolution of the UPC and

3R, made by the respective leaders of the two groups.

We pay tribute to the distinguished role of His Excellency Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, whose direct facilitation of this agreement represents a compelling demonstration of the principle of “African solutions to African problems.”

The African Union calls on all remaining armed groups in the Central African Republic to lay down their arms and engage in good faith in an inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation process, in the supreme interest of the Central African people.

Mister Chair,

In this critical phase of stabilization and consolidation of hard-won gains in Central African Republic, the African Union calls upon all international partners to provide the necessary political, financial and technical support to the authorities of the country which has today a genuine window of opportunity to overcome the cycle of violence, with the continued support of MINUSCA and the complementary and coordinated engagement of its partners.

In this regard, we congratulate the Central African Republic for the successful mobilization of $9 billion in commitments at the Investment Roundtable held in Casablanca (Morocco) in September to finance its 2024–2028 National Development Plan. This achievement reflects the strong and growing support of international, multilateral, regional, bilateral and private partners for CAR’s national development agenda.

Mister Chair,

Dear colleagues,

Allow me to conclude by reaffirming the African Union’s commitment to accompany the Central African authorities and all national stakeholders in the inclusive implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, with a view to consolidating stability, strengthening cohesion, and advancing sustainable development in the country. With the continued solidarity of international, regional, and bilateral partners, we remain confident in the country’s ability to consolidate the foundations of a future marked by stability, justice and shared prosperity. This collective endeavor is not only central to CAR’s transformation, but also vital to the promotion of peace, security and development across the region and our Continent.

Thank you for your kind attention.