Peace accord for Central African Republic
30/06/2008
The government of the Central African Republic has signed a peace accord with two rebel groups operating in the impoverished war-torn country.
Officials signed an agreement with the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity and the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy following talks mediated by the Gabonese president El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.
The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world and since independence from France in 1960 has been subjected to a relentless onslaught of coup-attempts and rebel insurgencies.
Issuing confirmation of the treaty, US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad urged both parties to ensure they implement their sides of the agreement as swiftly and transparently as possible.
In a country of just 4.3 million people, an estimated 200,000 Central Africans have been internally displaced or forced to seek refuge in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon as a consequence of the violence.
Observers say tensions between warring factions have tailed off in recent months following the establishment of a multidimensional UN presence in eastern Chad and north-eastern regions of the Central African Republic.
But low-level skirmishes continue across the small, resource-rich nation - and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon says its political, economic and humanitarian prospects remains fragile at best.
Commenting on the security situation in the country, he said: "I renew my appeal to all armed groups to lay down their weapons and work towards the restoration of sustainable peace and stability."
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