10 Aug 2010

UN / CAR – CHAD

The Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Chad, Youssef Mahmoud, tells the Security Council that as MINURCAT begins to implement its drawdown, the threat to civilians. IDPs and humanitarian workers “remains real” and “a great deal remains to be done during the mission’s last few months. UNTV / FILE

Posted at: August 10, 2010 1:49 pm

Duration: 02:18

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: UN / CHAD - CAR
SOURCE: UNTV/ UNICEF/ UNHCR
TRT: 2.18
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ FRENCH/ NATS

DATELINE: 10 AUGUST 2010, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.Wide shot, exterior UN building

10 AUGUST 2010, NEW YORK CITY

2.Wide shot, Security Council
3.Med shot, delegates
4.SOUNDBITE (English) Youssef Mahmoud, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Chad:
"The threat to civilians, IDPs, refugees and humanitarian workers in the North Eastern area remains real. The lack of sustained progress in combating security threats in North Eastern Central African Republic is mainly the result of the weak presence of its armed forces and the lack of logistic and other means it suffers from."
5.Med shot, delegates 
6.SOUNDBITE (French) Youssef Mahmoud, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Chad: 
"A great deal remains to be done by the government and MINURCAT during the mission's last few months. A great many challenges remain to be overcome. Sustainability of the DIS will be a long, painstaking process which will require the full attention of the government and its partners."
7.Med shot, delegates
8.SOUNDBITE (French) Antoine Gambi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Francophone World of the Central African Republic:
"The announcement of the withdrawal of the United Nations Mission from the Central African Republic – which will have very dangerous consequences if we are not careful – has led to a strong response by the Central African Republic. Peace in this part of the country is not guaranteed as a result of the precariousness and limited capability of the security forces."
9.Med shot, delegates

FILE -UNICEF - 15-21 MAY 2008, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

10.Wide shot, FACA soldier (CAR national army) patrolling airstrip Sam Ouandja 
11.Close up, FACA troops in Bossangoa
12.Wide shot, children walking through bush near Benah
13.Med shot, children at Kabo airstrip
14.Wide shot, unidentified locals carrying arms in Kabo region

FILE - UNHCR - 21-25 AUGUST 2007, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

15.Wide shot, rain in rainforest
16.Med shot, child in camp
17.Wide shot, family in camp

FILE - UNHCR - 19 AUGUST 2007, SOUTHERN CHAD

18.Wide shot, Dosseye refugee camp, southern Chad

FILE - UNHCR - 21-25 AUGUST 2007, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

19.Various shots, abandoned homes in Boudouli village
20.Wide shot, rebels in northern CAR

FILE - UNHCR - 19 AUGUST 2007, SOUTHERN CHAD

21.Wide shot, Dosseye refugee camp

STORYLINE:

The Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Chad, Youssef Mahmoud, informed the Security Council today (10 August) that peacekeepers in eastern Chad have ceased all area-security patrols and escorts, as the Mission implements the May 2010 Security Council resolution on its drawdown and termination.

The Chadian government has assumed full responsibility for the security and protection of civilians and aid workers in that region.

Mahmoud noted that the threat to civilians, IDPs, refugees and humanitarian workers in the North Eastern Central African Republic "remains real", adding that "the lack of sustained progress" in combating security threats is mainly due to "the weak presence of its armed forces and the lack of logistic and other means it suffers from."

The Acting Special Representative said that "a great deal remains to be done" by the Chadian government and MINURCAT during the mission's last few months as "a great many challenges remain to be overcome".

He also noted that the sustainability of the Détachement Intégré de Sécurité (DIS) - a United Nations supported Security force in Chad – "will be a long, painstaking process which will require the full attention of the government and its partners."

The Central African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antoine Gambi, told the Council that the announcement of the withdrawal of the United Nations Mission from the Central African Republic "will have very dangerous consequences" if certain measures are not taken, and has led "to a strong response" by the Central African Republic's Government.

He added that peace in the North Eastern Central African Republic "is not guaranteed as a result of the precariousness and limited capability of the security forces."

The United Nations has proposed strengthening the capacities of the Central African Republic (CAR) to enable it to effectively tackle security and humanitarian challenges when the world body's peacekeepers withdraw from the country at the end of this year.

The UN Mission in the CAR and Chad (MINURCAT) was set up by the Security Council in 2007 to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighbouring Sudan.

Ban said in his report that the overall security situation in north-eastern CAR continues to suffer from inter-ethnic conflict, banditry and cross-border criminal activity. He outlined two options on how to mitigate the impact of MINURCAT's departure in the area.

The first option provides for a UN peacekeeping force in north-eastern CAR which would deter insecurity in the area and provide security for humanitarian actors until the Government has developed adequate capacity. 
The second option focuses on strengthening efforts to build State capacities for ensuring security and the rule of law, coupled with immediate measures to strengthen the capabilities of the national armed forces (FACA) in the north-east.

Based on his assessment of the situation and the position of the CAR Government, Ban believes the second option is the most appropriate course of action.