The United Nations has warned against a premature withdrawal of its peacekeepers from the Central African Republic (CAR) as the war in Sudan spills across the border, threatening fragile gains in a country still recovering from years of conflict.
UN Special Representative Valentine Rugwabiza told the Security Council that violence is multiplying in eastern CAR, driven in part by the Sudan war, complicating plans for a gradual drawdown of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA. She cited an attack on the 30th of June by armed groups on Am-Dafock, bordering Sudan, which killed civilians and members of national security forces, displaced 17,000 civilians and injured six UN peacekeepers.
Without MINUSCA’s rapid response, Rugwabiza said, attacks in the border area with Chad and Sudan would have resulted in significantly more fatalities, and State authority could not have been restored after only five days of control by the armed group, whose fighters retreated across the border into Sudan. She pleaded with the Council, as it prepares to renew MINUSCA’s mandate, to maintain the mission with adequate force levels and capabilities during the critical consolidation phase.
While Bangui consolidates its authority and continues disarming rebel groups, violence in the east is being fuelled by the spillover from Sudan. The mission has already closed several bases in regions deemed sufficiently stable and transferred some responsibilities to national authorities, but initial assessments show no major deterioration in security in those areas.
The issue has divided Security Council members, with the United States arguing for larger troop reductions while other countries warn against a hasty withdrawal. The UN Secretary-General has recommended extending the mandate by one year while preserving the military capabilities needed for rapid intervention.
The Council must decide on the renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate before mid-November. The debate reflects a broader tension between calls for cost savings and the reality on the ground, where the Sudan war is creating new security pressures in a country still rebuilding.
The spillover from Sudan into CAR underscores the regional dimensions of the conflict, with armed groups moving across borders and creating new security challenges. The situation complicates MINUSCA’s plans for a gradual troop drawdown and raises questions about the sustainability of peace efforts in the region.
For CAR, the presence of UN peacekeepers remains a critical stabilising force as the country navigates the fallout from Sudan’s war. The challenge now is to balance the need for continued peacekeeping with the realities of a changing security landscape.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
Leave a comment