UN chief, CAR president meet on peace process

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday met Faustin Archange Touadera, president of the Central African Republic (CAR), to discuss the situation in the country, including the president’s dialogue with representatives of the armed groups.
“The secretary-general noted that the country had turned a corner following the holding of democratic elections,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here after the meeting.
“He welcomed the president’s outreach to the armed groups and his vision for a comprehensive process to address the underlying reasons that had driven them to take up arms.”
Meanwhile, the secretary-general also welcomed the resolve of the president and his government to pursue this process in a spirit of national reconciliation and inclusiveness, guided by the principles and recommendations of the Bangui Forum, the spokesman said.
“The secretary-general urged the armed groups to seize the opportunity afforded by the president’s initiative to bring peace and stability to the country by engaging in it in good faith,” Dujarric said. “He stressed that the early restoration of state authority was critical for security and the country’s socio-economic recovery.”
The secretary-general emphasised the importance of the international community’s support for the Central African Republic’s efforts to tackle the root causes of the crisis and its backing for the country’s recovery plan, the spokesman added.
Great efforts are underway in the CAR to bring peace and stability back to the war-torn country.