The United States Embassy in the Central African Republic (CAR), the French Embassy in CAR and the European Union (EU) Delegation in CAR, members of the G5, strongly condemn the violence that occurred in the city of Birao, Vakaga Prefecture (north-east Central African Republic), on 14 September 2019. The perpetrators of this deadly violence must be identified and brought to justice.
In Birao, the humanitarian consequences of the fighting are severe for the thousands of displaced people who have fled the city and still fear for their safety.
These armed clashes between the Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique (FPRC) and the Mouvement des libérateurs centrafricains pour la justice (MLCJ) in Birao constitute a further serious violation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (APPR-RCA), signed in Bangui on 6 February.
The signatory partners of this communiqué call for a definitive cessation of hostilities between the FPRC and the MLCJ and for the fulfilment of their commitments under the APPR-RCA.
The United States Embassy in CAR, the French Embassy in CAR and the EU Delegation in CAR commend the work of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the work carried out in the field in Birao by non-governmental organizations.
Only dialogue, mediation, and compliance with the commitments made by the government and the armed groups that signed the APPR-RCA will enable a lasting return to peace and stabilization in the Central African Republic.
Done in Bangui on September 18, 2019
Mrs. Lucy TAMLYN, U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic
Mr. Éric GÉRARD, Ambassador, High Representative of France to the Central African Republic
Mrs. Samuela ISOPI, Ambassador, Chief of the European Union delegation in the Central African Republic
