The 130th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Deeply concerned about the security situation in the Central African Republic, which continues to deteriorate and is characterized by a breakdown in public order, a decline in the rule of law and a rise in interreligious and intercommunity tensions,

Also deeply concerned about the proliferation and intensification of violations of international humanitarian law and the widespread human rights violations and abuses – including extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, acts of torture, sexual violence against women and children, and the recruitment and use of children – that have been committed both by former elements of Séléka and by militia groups, in particular those referred to as the “anti-balaka” and the Lord’s Resistance Army,

Reaffirming that some of these acts may constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which the Central African Republic is a party, and that the perpetrators must be held to account,

Considering the risk that interreligious and intercommunity tensions in the country might degenerate into religious and ethnic conflict on a nationwide scale and imperil national unity and territorial integrity, with potentially grave repercussions throughout the Central African region,

Underscoring that the alarming situation in the country threatens to create a climate conducive to transnational criminal activity, including arms trafficking and the illicit exploitation of natural resources,

Considering that the situation in the Central African Republic constitutes a threat to national and regional stability and to international peace and security,

Noting that the European Union expressed the intention, at the Council meeting of 20 January 2014, to consider establishing an operation to provide temporary support for the International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA), and that the transitional authorities in the Central African Republic have agreed to that operation,

Recalling United Nations Security Council resolutions 2134 (2014) of 28 January 2014, 2127 (2013) of 5 December 2013, and 2121 (2013) of 10 October 2013,

1. Affirms its support for the Libreville Agreement of 11 January 2013, for the N’Djamena Declaration of 18 April 2013, for the Brazzaville Appeal of 3 May 2013 and for the Declaration on the Central African Republic, adopted by the International Contact Group at its third meeting, held in Bangui on 8 November 2013;
2. Strongly condemns the continuing violations of international humanitarian law and the widespread human rights abuses and violations perpetrated by armed groups in the Central African Republic, in particular by former elements of Séléka, the forces referred to as the “anti-balaka” and the Lord’s Resistance Army, which imperil the population; underscores that the perpetrators must be held to account for their acts;
3. Also condemns the escalation of interreligious and intercommunity violence in the Central African Republic and demands that the protagonists immediately halt all acts of violence, whatever their motivation, in particular those said to be grounded in religion, ethnicity or gender;
4. Further demands that all parties to the conflict facilitate safe and free access for humanitarian organizations and their personnel, without delay, to areas where populations are in need so that they may swiftly provide the necessary humanitarian assistance in accordance with United Nations guiding principles on humanitarian  assistance;
5. Calls upon the Member Parliaments of the IPU to press their respective governments to respond rapidly to appeals for urgent humanitarian action and to the pressing and growing needs of the populations affected and of refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo and Sudan; encourages international organizations and their partners to execute their humanitarian projects without delay;
6. Expresses support for the role played by the country’s religious authorities at national level in an attempt to calm relations and prevent violence between religious communities, and believes that their message should be vigorously relayed at local level;
7. Applauds the action of MISCA, of the countries providing contingents for it and of the French armed forces, which, since the adoption of Security Council resolution 2127 (2013), have worked to protect civilians and stabilize the security situation, and thanks the partners that have provided air assets to speed the deployment of troops to the area;
8. Welcomes the appointment by the National Transition Council, on 20 January 2014, of the transitional Head of State and of the transitional Prime Minister, and expresses support for the transitional government; underscores that the transitional authorities of the Central African Republic bear primary responsibility for protecting the population and guaranteeing the country’s security and national and territorial unity;
9. Expresses support for the creation, on 22 January 2014, of an international commission of inquiry into the violations of international humanitarian and human rights law perpetrated in the Central African Republic, by no matter which party, since 1 January 2013;
10. Demands that all parties to the current armed conflict in the Central African Republic, former elements of Séléka as well as the groups referred to as the “anti-balaka” and the Lord’s Resistance Army, put an immediate stop to violations and abuses committed against women and children, acts of sexual violence and acts of extremism and sectarian violence; requests the transitional authorities to make and fulfil a firm and explicit commitment to ensure that investigations are conducted as soon as possible when violence against women or children is alleged and that the perpetrators are prosecuted and held to account for their acts;
11. Welcomes the decision of the United Nations Security Council to prepare plans for the imposition of targeted sanctions, including a travel ban and freezing of the assets of individuals having acted to undermine peace, stability and security, in particular those who have violated human rights and international humanitarian law, recruited and deployed children in armed conflict, committed acts of sexual violence, or lent their support to illegal armed groups or criminal networks involved in the illicit exploitation of natural resources in the Central African Republic;
12. Urges the transitional authorities to develop and implement disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or repatriation programmes; underscores the importance of strengthening the institutional capacity of the police, the judiciary and the penitentiary system to uphold the rule of law;
13. Also urges the transitional authorities to establish an inclusive national dialogue between all stakeholders in the country – political, social and religious – with a view, in the near future, to restoring State authority and to institutionalizing a credible and fair process of national reconciliation;
14. Welcomes the establishment of a special fund through which States and international, regional and subregional organizations can contribute to the MISCA, and expresses support for the organization of an international donors conference as soon as possible to request contributions, in particular through this fund;
15. Also welcomes the establishment of a national electoral authority on 16 December 2013and underscores how important it is for the transitional authorities, with support from the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), to organize free and regular elections, providing in particular for the participation of women and without delay (during the second half of 2014, if possible, and by February 2015 at the latest);
16. Recommends that the United Nations Security Council deploy, by the earliest possible date, a UN peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic with an expanded mandate covering support for the political transition, the restoration of State authority throughout the country, the organization of elections, protection for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the return of refugees and of persons displaced by the violence;
17. Takes note that the IPU has already conducted a needs assessment and requests it to take urgent follow-up action with the National Transition Council, including by offering advisory expertise in the recently launched process of constitutional reform;
18. Entrusts the Secretary General with the task of conveying this resolution to all IPU Members, Associate Members and Observers and to the other international organizations.

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