United States Embassy, Central African Republic
Press Release
December 14, 2020
The conduct of the upcoming elections in the Central African Republic has important consequences not only for the Central African Republic, but for the Central African region. Credible and inclusive elections promote social and economic stability and would be another important step in the Central African Republic’s path away from repeated crisis and towards peace, stability, and development.
The United States supports the democratic process itself, and those institutions bound by CAR’s constitution to oversee that process. We do not support any specific party or candidate. We applaud the measures taken to ensure inclusivity for women and we urge the CAR government to redouble efforts to ensure full, effective, and meaningful participation in the elections for all citizens of CAR, regardless of their religion or identity. We support a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process, before, during, and after election day. This includes ensuring the safety of all contestants, respect for the rule of law, and the absolute impartiality of the authorities in charge of managing the elections.
We call on all parties to commit to, and voice their support for, a peaceful and transparent electoral process, and we urge them and their supporters to take measures to decrease tensions and avoid hateful rhetoric. We also call on the Central African media to take seriously their duty to responsibly report on the electoral process, and to avoid spreading misinformation and hateful rhetoric.