Written question asked by Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour) on Friday, 16 February 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 February 2024. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 26 February 2024 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Central African Republic: Politics and Government

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the Central African Republic; if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the group known as Movement for the Emergence of the Central African Republic; and whether he has made an assessment of the sources of funding for that group.

Answer: The security situation remains volatile across the Central African Republic (CAR) with numerous armed groups continuing to operate, many of them forming, merging and dissipating at short notice. Violence has been driven by the rebel groups Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) and Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation (3R), as well as from the recent expansion of self-defence group Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé in south-eastern CAR, which often targets civilians. However, there have been recent improvements in security, including in the capital Bangui, following greater cooperation between the UN Peacekeeping Mission (MINUSCA) and the Central African Armed Forces. The UK is committed to supporting MINUSCA to improve security in CAR, including through our assessed contributions that amounted to approximately £50 million in 2023.

Secondary information