The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday passed a resolution to lift the arms embargo on the Central African Republic (CAR) and determined that all UN member states must take measures to prevent the supply of arms to armed groups operating within the CAR until July 31, 2025.
Resolution 2745 (2024) was passed unanimously, extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts in their work pursuant to the resolution until August 31, 2025. The Panel is tasked with devoting special attention to analyzing illicit transnational trafficking networks. The resolution stipulated that a midterm report must be produced by January 31, 2025, with a final report due by June 15, 2025. Furthermore, the UNSC strongly condemned attacks and human rights abuses committed by armed groups.
The delegate representing France thanked the UNSC for its constructive discussions in producing the resolution. She underscored the importance of stability in the CAR and the broader region. The Russian delegate expressed that the resolution was “long overdue” and emphasized the need for the UNSC to respond more effectively to states under sanctions in the future. Meanwhile, the Algerian delegate raised concerns about the transparency of the resolution, especially regarding the return of seized items by member states.
The arms embargo, initially adopted in December 2013, aimed to address violence, human rights violations, and the breakdown of law and order in the CAR. While the embargo primarily prohibited military assistance to non-state actors, it permitted certain exceptions for government forces, contingent on prior approval by a sanctions committee. The CAR government argued that these constraints hindered their ability to address the security crisis. Following peace agreements with 14 armed organizations, the UNSC began to ease the embargo restrictions.
The initial violence in the CAR stemmed from conflicts between the Seleka forces and the anti-balaka coalition, leading to significant civilian casualties and displacement. Humanitarian issues remain acute, with estimates indicating that 5.6 percent of the population died in 2022, 3.4 million people need assistance, and 100,000 are affected by flooding (Council on Foreign Relations).
As part of the international response to the conflict, many leaders of non-state armed groups, including former anti-balaka leaders and Seleka leaders, face charges or trials at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The former president, François Bozizé, also has an international arrest warrant for his involvement in the violence.
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