Security Council resolution 2552 (2020) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) until 15 Nov. 2021]
Symbol: S/RES/2552 (2020)
Date: 2020-11-12
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/75 [227] UN MULTIDIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED STABILIZATION MISSION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
S/75 [181] CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SITUATION
S/ X The situation in the Central African Republic.
Subjects: UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic|Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (2019)|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|PEACE AGREEMENTS|INTERNAL SECURITY|CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BELGIUM
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: INDONESIA
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2552 (2020)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 12 November 2020




               Resolution 2552 (2020)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8776th meeting, on
               12 November 2020

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all of its previous resolutions, statements of its President, and press
               statements on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR),
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
               territorial integrity of the CAR, and recalling the importance of the principles of
               non-interference, good-neighbourliness and regional cooperation,
                     Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, such as consent of the parties,
               impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate,
               recognising that the mandate of each peacekeeping mission is specific to the need and
               situation of the country concerned, underlining that the mandates that it authorises
               are consistent with the basic principles, reiterating that the Security Council expects
               full delivery of the mandates it authorises, and recalling in this regard its resolution
               2436 (2018),
                    Recalling that the CAR authorities have the primary responsibility to protect all
               populations in the CAR in particular from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and
               crimes against humanity, and recalling in this regard the importance of restoring state
               authority in all parts of the country,
                    Emphasizing that any sustainable solution to the crisis in the CAR should be
               CAR-owned, including the political process, and should prioritize reconciliation of
               the Central African people, through an inclusive process that involves men and
               women of all social, economic, political, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including
               those displaced by the crisis,
                     Welcoming the signing of the Political Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation
               in the CAR by the CAR authorities and 14 armed groups in Bangui on 6 Febr uary
               2019 (“the Peace Agreement”), after the peace talks that took place in Khartoum,
               Sudan, within the framework of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in
               the CAR and under the auspices of the African Union (AU) and emphasizing that its
               implementation is the only viable path for peace and stability in the CAR,
                     Welcoming progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement, including
               legislation on decentralisation, the status of political parties and the opposition, and
               a pension regime for former elected presidents, decrees setting in motion the




20-15117 (E)
*2015117*

S/RES/2552 (2020)

               establishment of the Commission on Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation,
               and the completion of training for the first special mixed security units (USMS),
                     Condemning in the strongest terms violations of the Peace Agreement and
               violence perpetrated by armed groups and other militias, throughout the country,
               including their use of landmines, violence aiming at obstructing the electoral process,
               incitement to ethnic and religious hatred and violence, violations of international
               humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses, including those committed
               against children and those involving sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, as
               well as violence directed at civilians from specific communities, resulting in deaths,
               injuries and displacements,
                     Stressing the urgent and imperative need to end impunity in the CAR and to
               bring to justice perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and of
               violations and abuses of human rights,
                     Underlining the continued need to support national efforts towards the extension
               of State authority and the reform of the security sector (SSR) in the CAR,
                     Welcoming the work carried out by MINUSCA, the African Union Observer
               Mission in the CAR (MOUACA), the European Union Training Mission in the CAR
               (EUTM-RCA) and the European Union Advisory Mission in the CAR (EUAM-RCA),
               as well as the support of CAR’s other international and regional partners, including
               France, the Russian Federation, the United States and the People’s Republic of China,
               to train and enhance the capacities of the CAR defence and security forces, and
               encouraging coherence, transparency and effective coordination of international
               support to the CAR,
                      Condemning cross-border criminal activities, such as arms trafficking, illicit
               trade, illegal exploitation, and smuggling of natural resources, including gold,
               diamonds, wildlife poaching and trafficking, the use of mercenaries, as well as the
               illicit transfer, destabilising accumulation and misuse of small arms and light
               weapons, that threaten the peace and stability of the CAR, calling upon the
               Government of CAR to work with neighbouring countries to sec ure its borders and
               other entry points to prevent the cross-border flows of armed combatants, arms and
               conflict minerals and stressing the need for CAR authorities to finalise and
               implement, in cooperation with relevant partners, a strategy to tackle the i llegal
               exploitation and smuggling of natural resources,
                     Taking note of the upcoming presidential, legislative and local elections in 2020
               and 2021 and underlining the primary responsibility of the CAR authorities in their
               organization, noting their efforts to conduct the electoral process in accordance with
               the Constitution and welcoming in that regard the commitments made by President
               Touadéra during the high level meeting on the CAR he co-chaired with the AU and
               the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on 1 October 2020,
               noting the opinion of the Constitutional Court that any change in constitutional
               timelines should result from a broad national consultation and consensus, stressing
               that only inclusive, free, fair, transparent, credible, p eaceful and timely elections,
               undisturbed by disinformation and other forms of manipulation of information, can
               bring lasting stability to the CAR, including through the full, equal and meaningful
               participation of women, reaffirming the importance of the participation of the youth,
               and encouraging the CAR authorities, with the support of relevant partners, to
               promote the participation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in
               accordance with the Constitution of the CAR,
                    Recalling its resolutions on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, on
               Children and Armed Conflict, and on Women Peace and Security and calling upon all



2/17                                                                                                     20-15117

                                                                                                  S/RES/2552 (2020)

           the parties in the CAR to engage with the Special Representative on Children and
           Armed Conflict and the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict,
                 Expressing serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation in the CAR
           and the consequences of the security situation on humanitarian access, condemning
           in the strongest terms increased attacks against humanitarian workers, and
           emphasising the current humanitarian needs of more than half of the population of
           the country, including civilians under threat from violence, as well as the alarming
           situation of IDPs and refugees, and welcoming the collaboration between MINUSCA,
           UN agencies, the African Union, the World Bank, technical and financial partners of
           the CAR and NGOs to support development and humanitarian efforts in the CAR and
           their adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing
           vulnerabilities,
                Recalling the UN guiding principles of humanitarian emergency assistance,
                 Recalling resolution 2532 (2020) demanding a general and immediate cessation
           of hostilities in all situations on the Council’s agenda, as well as calling upon all
           parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause for
           at least 90 consecutive days, in order to enable the safe, timely, unhindered and
           sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with the humanitarian
           principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence,
                 Recognising the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes and
           natural disasters, among other factors, on the stability of the Central African region,
           including through drought, desertification, land degradation, food insecurity, and
           energy access, and stressing the need for adequate risk assessment by the United Nations
           relating to these factors and for long-term strategies by governments of the Central
           African region and the United Nations to support stabilisation and build resilience,
                 Condemning in the strongest terms all attacks, provocations and incitement to
           hatred and violence against MINUSCA and other international forces by armed
           groups or other perpetrators, paying tribute to the personnel of MINUSCA who
           sacrificed their lives in the service of peace, underlining that attacks targeting
           peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, reminding all parties of their obligations
           under international humanitarian law and urging the CAR authorities to work with
           MINUSCA to enhance the safety and security of MINUSCA’s personnel, including in
           line with resolution 2518 (2020), and to take all possible measures to ensure the arrest
           and prosecution of perpetrators,
                 Recalling resolution 2378 (2017) and its request of the Secretary-General to
           ensure that data related to the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, including
           peacekeeping performance data, is used to improve analytics and the evaluation of
           mission operations, based on clear and well identified benchmarks, further recalling
           resolution 2436 (2018) and its request of the Secretary-General to ensure that
           decisions to recognize and incentivize outstanding performance and decisions
           regarding deployment, remediation, training, withholding of financial reimbursement,
           and repatriation of uniformed or dismissal of civilian personnel, are predicated on
           objective performance data, and emphasizing the need to regularly evaluate
           MINUSCA’s performance such that the mission retains the skills and flexibility
           needed to effectively carry out its mandate,
                Taking note of the Report of the Secretary-General of 9 October 2020
           (S/2020/994),
                 Determining that the situation in the CAR continues to constitute a threat to
           international peace and security in the region,
                Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

20-15117                                                                                                       3/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

               Political process, including the implementation of the Peace Agreement
                    1.   Reiterates its support to President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and to his
               government in their efforts to promote lasting peace and stability in the CAR through
               a comprehensive political process and to adhere to their commitments under the Peace
               Agreement;
                     2.   Urges the CAR authorities and the signatory armed groups to fully
               implement the Peace Agreement in good faith and without delay in order to meet the
               aspirations of the people of the CAR to peace, security, justice, reconciliation,
               inclusivity and development, and to resolve their disputes peacefully, including
               through the follow-up and dispute resolution mechanisms of the Peace Agreement,
               and further calls on all stakeholders in the CAR, to engage urgently and
               constructively in the implementation of the Peace Agreement;
                      3.   Demands that armed groups cease violations of the Peace Agreement and
               all forms of violence against civilians, United Nations peacekeeper s and humanitarian
               personnel, destabilising activities, incitement to hatred and violence, restrictions on
               freedom of movement and obstruction of the electoral process, and lay down their
               arms, immediately and unconditionally, in line with their commitment s under the
               Peace Agreement;
                    4.  Recalls that individuals or entities that undermine peace and stability in
               the CAR could be listed for targeted measures pursuant to resolution 2536 (2020);
                     5.    Calls on neighbouring states, regional organisations and all international
               partners to support the peace process, including the implementation of the Peace
               Agreement, in a coherent and coordinated manner and through strengthened
               partnerships, emphasises the important role of the guarantors and facilitators of the
               Peace Agreement, including the AU, the ECCAS and neighbouring states, using their
               influence to enhance adherence by armed groups to their commitments, also calls on
               neighbouring states to support the CAR authorities in their efforts to enable the
               participation of refugees in the electoral processes, and further emphasises the
               importance of establishing and implementing measures, including sanctions, and
               mechanisms that could be applied against non-compliant parties pursuant to article
               35 of the Peace Agreement;
                     6.    Calls on the CAR authorities and the authorities of neighbouring countries
               to cooperate at the regional level to investigate and combat transnational criminal
               networks and armed groups involved in arms trafficking and in the illegal exploitation
               of natural resources, calls for the reactivation and regular follow-up of joint bilateral
               commissions between the CAR and neighbouring countries to address cross -border
               issues, including issues related to arms trafficking, and urges the joint bilateral
               commissions between the CAR and Cameroon, the CAR and the Republic of Congo
               and the CAR and Chad to take agreed next steps to secure common borders;
                     7.    Encourages the CAR authorities to cement and broaden national
               awareness and ownership of the Peace Agreement, including through sensitisation
               campaigns, recalls in this regard the crucial role of civil society and faith -based
               organisations in the peace and reconciliation process and the need for the CAR
               authorities to adequately promote its participation in the implementation of the Peace
               Agreement as well as in the comprehensive political process, and further encourages
               the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and youth in this process;
                     8.    Urges the CAR authorities to urgently implement a genuinely inclusive
               process to support reconciliation in the CAR by addressing the root causes of the
               conflict, including the marginalisation of civilians from specific communities, issues
               of national identity, local grievances of all the components of society over the whole


4/17                                                                                                       20-15117

                                                                                                   S/RES/2552 (2020)

           territory of the CAR, and issues related to transhumance, including through national
           and local electoral processes and the implementation of political reforms provided
           under the Peace Agreement, national policies on economic development and civil
           service recruitment, and to promote reconciliation initiatives at the regional, national,
           prefectural and local levels;
                 9.   Urges the CAR authorities and all national stakeholders to ensure the
           preparation of inclusive, free, fair, transparent, credible, peaceful and timely
           presidential, legislative and local elections in 2020 and 2021, in accordance with the
           Constitution of the CAR and the decisions of the Constitutional Court, including the
           full, equal and meaningful participation of women as voters and candidates,
           encourages the participation of youth, calls on all parties to refrain from incitement
           to hatred and violence and to engage in dialogue, including through the consultative
           framework, in order to solve any outstanding issues regarding the electoral framework
           and related reforms, further calls upon CAR authorities to ensure secure conditions
           for the conduct of elections and unrestricted access to the polls, including through
           cooperation with MINUSCA, consistent with the Mission’s role regarding the
           protection of civilians, welcomes in that regard the signing of the integrated security
           plan for the elections on 2 October and encourages the international community to
           urgently provide adequate support, including technical and financial support, to the
           upcoming elections;
                 10. Calls upon all parties to respect the civilian and humanitarian character of
           camps and settlements for IDPs and refugees, as such, also calls upon the CAR
           authorities to ensure that national policies and legislative frameworks adequately
           protect the human rights of all displaced persons, including freedom of movement,
           create conditions conducive to durable solutions for IDPs and refugees on an
           informed basis, including their voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return, local
           integration or resettlement, and provide for their participation in the elections;
                 11. Urges the CAR authorities to address the presence and activity of armed
           groups in the CAR by implementing a comprehensive strategy that prioritises
           dialogue and the urgent implementation of an inclusive, gender-sensitive and
           effective DDR process, as well as repatriation (DDRR) in the case of foreign fighters,
           including children formerly associated with armed forces and groups, as well as
           continuing the implementation of community violence reduction projects, also urges
           the CAR authorities and signatory armed groups to accelerate the implementation of
           the interim security measures provided for in the Peace Agre ement, including the
           special mixed security units following vetting, disarmament, demobilisation and
           training, to promote trust and confidence between signatory parties and as a platform
           for the deployment of State authority, in a manner complementary to D DRR and SSR
           processes;
                 12. Calls on the CAR authorities to implement the National Security Policy,
           the National Strategy on SSR and the National Defence Plan, including with the
           support of the international community, in order to put in place professiona l,
           ethnically representative, regionally balanced, taking into account the recruitment of
           women, and appropriately trained and equipped national defence and security forces,
           including through the adoption and implementation of appropriate vetting procedure s
           of all defence and security personnel, including human rights vetting, as well as
           measures to absorb disarmed and demobilised elements of armed groups meeting
           rigorous eligibility and vetting criteria;
                 13. Calls on the CAR authorities to ensure that redeployments of defence and
           security forces are sustainable, do not pose a risk to the stabilisation of the country,
           civilians or the political process, and demonstrate that the CAR authorities have
           strengthened oversight, command and control, and appropria te budgetary support and

20-15117                                                                                                        5/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

               to continue to implement a comprehensive national security strategy that is consistent
               with the peace process, including the Peace Agreement;
                     14. Calls on the CAR authorities to take concrete steps, without delay and as
               a matter of priority, to strengthen justice institutions at national and local levels as
               part of the extension of State authority in order to fight impunity and to contribute to
               stabilisation and reconciliation, including through the restoration of the administrati on
               of the judiciary, criminal justice and penitentiary systems throughout the country, the
               investigations of the Special Criminal Court (SCC), the demilitarisation of the
               prisons, the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms, based on a victim -
               centred approach, including the full operationalisation of the Truth, Justice,
               Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, which should be able to work in a
               neutral, impartial, transparent and independent manner, taking into consideration the
               recommendations of the inclusive commission provided for in the Peace Agreement,
               to ensure accountability for past crimes and reparation for victims, and by ensuring
               access to fair and equal justice for all in line with the conclusions of the Bangui Forum
               held in May 2015;
                     15. Calls on the CAR authorities to continue their efforts to restore the
               effective authority of the State over the whole territory of the CAR, including by
               redeploying State administration and providing basic services in the provinces,
               ensuring the timely payment of salaries to civil servants and defence and security
               forces, and by implementing the law on decentralisation, with the objective of
               ensuring stable, accountable, inclusive and transparent governance;
                     16. Stresses in this context the valuable role of the Peacebuilding Commission
               (PBC) in bringing strategic advice, providing observations for the Security Council’s
               consideration, and fostering a more coherent, coordinated and integrated approach to
               international peacebuilding efforts, recognises the active role of the Kingdom of
               Morocco, and encourages continued coordination with the PBC and other relevant
               international organisations and institutions in support of CAR’s long term peace
               building needs;

               Economic recovery and development
                     17. Encourages the CAR authorities, with the support of the international
               community, in particular with International Financial Institutions leading
               international efforts, and based on critical peace and State building goals, to continue
               consolidating public financial management and accountability in a manner that allows
               it to meet the expenses related to the functioning of the State, implement early
               recovery plans, and revitalise the economy, and that fosters national ownership;
                     18. Further calls on Member States, international and regional organisations
               to disburse pledges made at the international conference in Brussels on 17 November
               2016 in support of the implementation of the country’s peacebuilding priorities and
               socioeconomic development and consider providing additional funding, technical
               expertise and in kind support to the CAR’s National Strategy for Recovery and Peace
               Consolidation (RCPCA) and within the Framework of Mutual Accountability
               (CEM-RCA);
                     19. Encourages the CAR authorities to accelerate the effective implementation
               of the RCPCA and relevant partners to support the efforts of the CAR authorities
               through the RCPCA Secretariat to lay the foundation of durable peace in the CAR and
               sustainable development of all regions of the country, to boost peace dividends for
               the population and development projects, including critical investments in
               infrastructure, which would address logistical challenges in the country and
               strengthen the CAR authorities’ and MINUSCA’s mobility and ability to provide


6/17                                                                                                        20-15117

                                                                                                     S/RES/2552 (2020)

           security and protect civilians, to combat poverty and to help the population of the
           CAR build sustainable livelihoods;

           Human rights, including child protection and sexual violence in conflict
                 20. Reiterates the urgent and imperative need to hold accountable all those
           responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses
           of human rights irrespective of their status or political affiliation, reiterates that some
           of those acts may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute of the International
           Criminal Court (ICC), to which the CAR is a State party, and recalls that committing
           acts of incitement to violence, in particular on an ethnic or religious basis, and then
           engaging in or providing support for acts that undermine the peace, stability or
           security of the CAR could be a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to resolution
           2536 (2020);
                 21. Recalls the decision made by the Prosecutor of the ICC on 24 September
           2014 to open, following the request of the national authorities, an investigation into
           alleged crimes committed since 2012 and the ongoing cooperation of the CAR
           authorities in this regard;
                 22. Calls on the CAR authorities to follow-up on the recommendations of the
           report of the Mapping Project describing serious violations and abuses of
           international human rights and violations of international humanitarian law
           committed within the territory of CAR between January 2003 and Decem ber 2015;
                 23. Urges all parties to armed conflict in the CAR, including armed groups, to
           end all violations and abuses committed against children, in violation of applicable
           international law, including those involving their recruitment and use, rape and sexual
           violence, killing and maiming, abductions and attacks on schools and hospitals,
           further calls upon the CAR authorities to respect their obligations under the Optional
           Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Child ren
           in Armed Conflict that they ratified on 21 September 2017, welcomes the adoption of
           the child protection code, underlining the importance of its full implementation, and
           calls upon the CAR authorities to swiftly investigate alleged violations and abuse s in
           order to fight against impunity of those responsible, to ensure that those responsible
           for such violations and abuses are excluded from the security sector and that all
           victims have access to justice as well as to medical and support services, calls for the
           full and immediate implementation of action plans signed by some armed groups and
           for other armed groups to sign such action plans, reiterates its demands that all parties
           protect and consider as victims those children who have been released or othe rwise
           separated from armed forces and armed groups, in particular by establishing standard
           operating procedures for the rapid handover of these children to relevant civilian child
           protection actors, recalls that the Peace Agreement contains several child protection
           provisions and urges the signatories to it to reinforce their efforts to implement those,
           and emphasises the need to pay particular attention to the protection, release and
           reintegration of all children associated with armed forces and armed grou ps;
                24. Calls upon all parties to armed conflict in the CAR, including armed
           groups, to end sexual and gender-based violence, further calls upon the CAR
           authorities to swiftly investigate alleged abuses in order to fight against impunity of
           those responsible for such acts, and to take concrete, specific and time-bound steps
           towards implementing the UN and government of CAR joint communiqué to prevent
           and respond to sexual violence in conflict and to ensure that those responsible for
           such crimes are excluded from the security sector and prosecuted, and to facilitate
           immediate access for all survivors of sexual violence to available services, calls on
           the CAR authorities and international partners to sustain adequate support to the
           Mixed Unit for Rapid Intervention and Suppression of Sexual Violence against

20-15117                                                                                                          7/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

               Women and Children (UMIRR), and further calls for the swift prosecution of alleged
               perpetrators;

               MINUSCA’s mandate
                   25. Expresses its strong support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Mankeur Ndiaye;
                     26.   Decides to extend the mandate of MINUSCA until 15 November 2021;
                     27. Decides that MINUSCA shall continue to comprise up to 11,650 military
               personnel, including 480 Military Observers and Military Staff Officers, and 2,080
               police personnel, including 400 Individual Police Officers and 1,680 formed police
               unit personnel, as well as 108 corrections officers and recalls its intention to keep this
               number under continuous review;
                     28. Decides that MINUSCA’s strategic objective is to support the creation of
               the political, security and institutional conditions conducive to the sustainable
               reduction of the presence of, and threat posed by, armed groups through a
               comprehensive approach and proactive and robust posture without prejudice to the
               basic principles of peacekeeping;
                     29. Recalls that MINUSCA’s mandate should be implemented based on a
               prioritisation of tasks established in paragraphs 31 to 33 of this resolution , and, when
               relevant, in a sequenced manner, and further requests the Secretary-General to reflect
               this prioritisation in the deployment of the Mission and to align budgetary resources
               according to the prioritisation of mandate tasks as set out in this res olution, while
               ensuring appropriate resources for the implementation of the mandate;
                    30. Authorises MINUSCA to take all necessary means to carry out its mandate
               within its capabilities and areas of deployment;

               Priority tasks
                     31. Decides that the mandate of MINUSCA shall include the following
               priority tasks:

         (a)   Protection of civilians
                    (i) To protect, in line with S/PRST/2018/18 of 21 September 2018, without
               prejudice to the primary responsibility of the CAR authorities and the basic principles
               of peacekeeping, the civilian population under threat of physical violence;
                    (ii) In support of the CAR authorities, to take active steps to anticipate, deter
               and effectively respond to serious and credible threats to the civilian population
               through a comprehensive and integrated approach and, in this regard:
                    – to ensure effective and dynamic protection of civilians under threat of physical
                      violence through a comprehensive and integrated approach, including by
                      anticipating, deterring, and stopping all armed groups, signatories of the Peace
                      Agreement and non-signatories, and local militias from inflicting violence on
                      the populations, in consultation with local communities, and by supporting and
                      undertaking local mediation efforts to prevent escalation of violence, in line
                      with the basic principles of peacekeeping, including in cases of violations of the
                      Peace Agreement, and outbreaks of violence between ethnic or religious rival
                      groups;
                    – to enhance its interaction with civilians, to strengthen its early warning
                      mechanism, to increase its efforts to monitor and document violations of



8/17                                                                                                        20-15117

                                                                                                       S/RES/2552 (2020)

                      international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights and
                      to strengthen local community engagement and empowerment;
                    – to maintain a proactive deployment and a mobile, flexible and robust posture,
                      including by conducting active patrolling, in particular in high risk areas;
                    – to mitigate the risk to civilians before, during and after any military or police
                      operation, including by tracking, preventing, minimising, and addressing
                      civilian harm resulting from the Mission’s operations, including in support of
                      national security forces;
                    – to work with the CAR authorities to identify and report threats to and attacks
                      against civilians and implement existing prevention and response plans and
                      strengthen civil-military cooperation, including joint planning;
                       (iii) To provide specific protection for women and children affected by armed
                 conflict, including through the deployment of child protection advisers, women
                 protection advisers and gender advisers and by adopting a gender-sensitive, survivorcentred approach in this regard, especially to provide the best assistance to survivors
                 of sexual violence;
                     (iv) To fully implement its protection of civilians strategy in coordination with
                 CAR authorities, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), humanitarian and
                 human right organisations, and other relevant partners;

           (b)   Good offices and support to the peace process, including the implementation
                 of the Peace Agreement, elections, national reconciliation, social cohesion and
                 transitional justice at national and local levels
                       (i) To continue its political role in the peace process, including through
                 political, technical and operational support to the implementation of the Peace
                 Agreement and to take active steps to support the CAR authorities in the creation of
                 the conditions conducive to the full implementation of the Peace Agreement;
                       (ii) To ensure that the Mission’s political and security strategies promote a
                 coherent peace process, particularly in support of the Peace Agreement, that connects
                 local and national peace efforts with the ongoing efforts to advance DDRR process,
                 the SSR process, the fight against impunity, and the restoration of State authority;
                      (iii) To assist the CAR authorities’ efforts, at national and local levels, for an
                 increased participation of political parties, civil society, women, survivors of sexual
                 violence, youth, faith-based organisations, and where and when possible, IDPs and
                 refugees to the peace process, including the Peace Agreement;
                       (iv) To provide good offices and technical expertise in support of eff orts to
                 address the root causes of conflict, including those referred to in paragraph 8 of this
                 resolution, in particular to advance national reconciliation and local conflict
                 resolution, working with relevant regional and local bodies and religious leader s,
                 while ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, including
                 survivors of sexual violence, in line with the CAR action plan on Women, Peace and
                 Security, including through the support to local dialogue and community engagement;
                       (v) To support efforts of the CAR authorities to address transitional justice as
                 part of the peace and reconciliation process, and marginalisation and local grievances,
                 including through dialogue with the armed groups, civil society leaders including
                 women and youth representatives, including survivors of sexual violence, and by
                 assisting national, prefectoral and local authorities to foster confidence among
                 communities;



20-15117                                                                                                            9/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

                     (vi) To provide technical expertise to the CAR authorities in its engagement
               with neighbouring countries, the ECCAS, and the AU, in consultation and
               coordination with the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA)
               to resolve issues of common and bilateral interest and to promote their continued and
               full support for the Peace Agreement;
                     (vii) To make more proactive use of strategic communications to support its
               protection of civilians’ strategy, in coordination with the CAR authorities, to help the
               local population better understand the mandate of the Mission, its activities, th e Peace
               Agreement and the electoral process, and to build trust with the CAR citizens, parties
               to the conflict, regional and other international actors and partners on the ground;
                    (viii) To continue to coordinate international support and assistance to t he peace
               process, including through the International Support Group, as appropriate;

         (c)   2020/2021 elections
                     To assist the CAR authorities in the preparation and delivery of peaceful
               presidential, legislative and local elections of 2020/2021, as outlined in the preamble
               and in paragraph 9 of this resolution, by providing good offices, including to
               encourage dialogue among all political stakeholders, in an inclusive manner, to
               mitigate tensions throughout the electoral period, by also providing security,
               operational, logistical and, as appropriate, technical support, in particular to facilitate
               access to remote areas, and by coordinating international electoral assistance;

         (d)   Facilitate the creation of a secure environment for the immediate, full, safe and
               unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance
                     To improve coordination with all humanitarian actors, including United Nations
               agencies, and to facilitate the creation of a secure environment for the immediate,
               full, safe and unhindered, civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance, in
               accordance with relevant provisions of international law and the human itarian
               principles, and for the voluntary safe, dignified and sustainable return or local
               integration or resettlement of internally displaced persons or refugees in close
               coordination with humanitarian actors, while contributing to alleviate the
               consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic as requested in resolution 2532 (2020);

         (e)   Protection of the United Nations
                    To protect the United Nations personnel, installations, equipment and goods and
               ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated
               personnel;

               Other tasks
                   32. Further authorises MINUSCA to pursue the following tasks of its
               mandate, bearing in mind that these tasks as well as those in paragraph 31 above are
               mutually reinforcing:

         (a)   Support for the extension of State authority, the deployment of security forces,
               and the preservation of territorial integrity
                     (i) To continue to support the CAR authorities in implementing its strategy
               for the extension of State authority, including through the implementation of relevant
               provisions of the Peace Agreement, for the establishment of interim security and
               administrative arrangements acceptable to the population and under CAR authorities’
               oversight, and through a prioritised division of labour with the UNCT and relevant
               partners;


10/17                                                                                                        20-15117

                                                                                                          S/RES/2552 (2020)

                       (ii) To support a gradual handover of security of key officials, and static guard
                 duties of national institutions, to the CAR security forces, in coordination with the
                 CAR authorities, based on the risks on the ground and taking into account the
                 electoral context;
                       (iii) To promote and support the rapid extension of State authority over the
                 entire territory of the CAR, including by supporting the deployment of vetted and
                 trained national police and gendarmerie in priority areas, including through
                 co-location, advising, mentoring and monitoring, in coordination with other partners,
                 as part of the deployment of the territorial administration and other rule of law
                 authorities;
                       (iv) To provide enhanced planning and technical assistance and limited
                 logistical support for the progressive redeployment of a limited number of Central
                 African Armed Forces (FACA) units trained or certified by EUTM -RCA, and a
                 limited number of vetted or trained Internal Security Forces (ISF), engaged in joint
                 operations with MINUSCA that include joint planning and tactical cooperation, in
                 order to support the implementation of MINUSCA’s current mandated tasks,
                 including to protect civilians, and to support national authorit ies in the restoration and
                 maintenance of public safety and the rule of law, in accordance with MINUSCA’s
                 mandate and the United Nations Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP),
                 without exacerbating the risks to the stabilisation of the country, civilian s, the
                 political process, to UN peacekeepers, or the impartiality of the Mission, to perform
                 this task by reallocating approved resources, and to review this limited logistical
                 support in one year to ensure its compliance with the benchmarks outlined in th e
                 Secretary-General’s letter to the President of the Security Council of 15 May 2018
                 (S/2018/463);

           (b)   Security Sector Reform (SSR)
                       (i) To provide strategic and technical advice to the CAR authorities to
                 implement the National Strategy on SSR and the National Defence Plan, in close
                 coordination with EUTM-RCA, EUAM-RCA, the African Union Observer Mission
                 in the CAR (MOUACA) and CAR’s other international partners, including France,
                 the Russian Federation, the United States and the People’s Republic of China, with
                 the aim of ensuring coherence of the SSR process, including through a clear
                 delineation of responsibilities between the FACA, the I SF and other uniformed
                 entities, as well as the democratic control of both defence and internal security forces;
                       (ii) To continue to support the CAR authorities in developing an approach to
                 the vetting of defence and security elements which includes huma n rights vetting, in
                 particular to fight impunity for violations of international and domestic law and in the
                 context of any integration of demobilised armed groups elements into security sector
                 institutions;
                      (iii) To take a leading role in supporting the CAR authorities in enhancing the
                 capacities of the ISF, particularly command and control structures and oversight
                 mechanisms and to coordinate the provision of technical assistance and training
                 between the international partners in the CAR, in particular with EUTM-RCA and
                 EUAM-RCA, in order to ensure a clear distribution of tasks in the field of SSR;
                       (iv) To continue to support the CAR authorities in the training of police and
                 gendarmerie and in the selection, recruitment, and vetting of police and genda rmerie
                 elements, with the support of donors and the UNCT, taking into account the need to
                 recruit women at all levels, and in full compliance with the United Nations HRDDP;




20-15117                                                                                                              11/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

         (c)   Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration (DDR) and Repatriation (DDRR)
                     (i) To support the CAR authorities in implementing an inclusive and
               progressive programme for the DDR and, in case of foreign elements, repatriation, of
               members of armed groups, based on the Principles of DDRR and Integration into the
               Uniformed Corps, signed at the Bangui Forum in May 2015, while paying specific
               attention to the needs of children associated with armed forces and groups, the need
               to ensure the separation of children from these forces and groups, and the need to
               prevent re-recruitment, and including gender-sensitive programmes;
                     (ii) To support the CAR authorities and relevant civil society organisations in
               developing and implementing CVR programmes, including gender-sensitive
               programmes, for members of armed groups including those not eligib le for
               participation in the national DDRR programme, in cooperation with development
               partners and together with communities of return in line with the priorities highlighted
               in the RCPCA;
                     (iii) To provide technical assistance to the CAR authorities in im plementing a
               national plan for the integration of eligible demobilised members of armed groups
               into the security and defence forces, in line with the broader SSR process, the need
               to put in place professional, ethnically representative and regionally balan ced national
               security and defence, and to provide technical advice to the CAR authorities in
               accelerating the implementation of the interim security arrangements provided for in
               the Peace Agreement, such as the special mixed security units following vettin g,
               disarmament, demobilisation and training;
                     (iv) To coordinate the support provided by multilateral and bilateral partners,
               including the World Bank, to the efforts of the CAR authorities on DDRR programs
               to reintegrate eligible and vetted members of the armed groups into peaceful civilian
               life and to help ensure that these efforts will lead to sustainable socioeconomic
               reintegration;

         (d)   Promotion and protection of human rights
                    (i) To monitor, help investigate, and timely report to the Security Co uncil and
               publicly on violations of international humanitarian law and on violations and abuses
               of human rights committed throughout the CAR;
                    (ii) To monitor, help investigate and ensure reporting on violations and abuses
               committed against children and women, including rape and other forms of sexual
               violence in armed conflict, in connection with the UMIRR;
                     (iii) To assist the CAR authorities in their efforts to protect and promote human
               rights and prevent violations and abuses and to strengthen the capacity of civil society
               organisations;

         (e)   Support for national and international justice, the fight against impunity, and
               the rule of law
                     (i) To help reinforce the independence of the judiciary, build the capacities,
               and enhance the effectiveness of the national judicial system as well as the
               effectiveness and the accountability of the penitentiary system including through the
               provision of technical assistance to the CAR authorities to identify, investigate and
               prosecute those responsible for crimes involving violations of international
               humanitarian law and of violations and abuses of human rights committed throughout
               the CAR;
                    (ii) To help build the capacities of the national human rights institution
               coordinating with the Independent Expert on human rights in the CAR as appropriate;

12/17                                                                                                      20-15117

                                                                                                   S/RES/2552 (2020)

                Urgent temporary measures:
                 (iii) To urgently and actively adopt, within the limits of its capacities and areas
           of deployment, at the formal request of the CAR authorities and in areas where
           national security forces are not present or operational, urgent temporary measures on
           an exceptional basis, without creating a precedent and without prejudice to the agreed
           principles of peacekeeping operations, which are limited in scope, time -bound and
           consistent with the objectives set out in paragraphs 31 and 32 (e), to arrest and detain
           in order to maintain basic law and order and fight impunity and to pay particular
           attention in this regard to those engaging in or providing support for acts that
           undermine the peace, stability or security of the CAR;
                Special Criminal Court (SCC):
                 (iv) To provide technical assistance, in partnership with other international
           partners and the UNCT, and capacity building for the CAR authorities, to facilitate
           the operationalisation and the functioning of the SCC, in particular in the areas of
           investigations, arrests, detention, criminal and forensic analysis, evidence collection
           and storage, recruitment and selection of personnel, court management, prosecution
           strategy and case development and the establishment of a legal aid system, as
           appropriate, as well as to provide security for magistrates, including at the premises
           and proceedings of the SCC, and take measures for the protection of victims and
           witnesses, in line with the CAR’s international humanitarian law and international
           human rights obligations;
                (v) To assist in the coordination and mobilisation of increased bilateral and
           multilateral support to the functioning of the SCC;
                Rule of law:
                 (vi) To provide support and to coordinate international assistance to build the
           capacities and enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, within the
           framework of the United Nations global focal point on rule of law, as well as the
           effectiveness and the accountability of police and penitentiary system with the
           support of the UNCT;
                 (vii) Without prejudice to the primary responsibility of the CAR authorities, to
           support the restoration and maintenance of public safety and the rule of law, including
           through apprehending and handing over to the CAR authorities, consistent with
           international law, those in the country responsible for crimes involving serious human
           rights violations and abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law,
           including sexual violence in conflict, so that they can be brought to justice, and
           through cooperation with states of the region as well as the ICC in cases of crimes
           falling within its jurisdiction following the decision made by the Prosecutor of the
           ICC on 24 September 2014 to open, following the request of national authorities, an
           investigation into alleged crimes committed since 2012;

           Additional tasks
                33.   Further authorises MINUSCA to carry out the following additional tasks:
                (a) To assist the Committee established pursuant to paragraph 57 of resolution
           2127 (2013) and the Panel of Experts established by the same resolution;
                 (b) To monitor the implementation of the measures renewed and modified by
           paragraph 1 of resolution 2536 (2020), in cooperation with the Panel of Experts
           established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), including by inspecting, as it deems
           necessary and when appropriate without notice, all arms and related materiel
           regardless of location, and advise the CAR authorities on efforts to keep armed groups
           from exploiting natural resources;

20-15117                                                                                                       13/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

                     (c) To support the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 2127
               (2013) in collecting information about acts of incitement to violence, in particular on
               an ethnic or religious basis, that undermine the peace, stability or security of the CAR
               in accordance with paragraph 32 (g) of resolution 2399 (2018) extended by paragraph
               6 of resolution 2536 (2020);
                     (d) To ensure, with all relevant United Nations bodies, unhindered access and
               safety for the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), in
               particular to persons, documents and sites within their control in order for the Panel
               to execute its mandate;
                     (e) To provide transport for relevant CAR authorities as appropriate and on a
               case by case basis and when the situation allows, as a means to promote and support
               the extension of the State authority over the entire territory;

               Mission effectiveness
                     34. Requests the Secretary-General to deploy and allocate personnel and
               expertise within MINUSCA to reflect the priorities identified by paragraph 31 to
               paragraph 33 of this resolution, and to continuously adjust this deployment according
               to the progresses made in the implementation of this mandate;
                     35. Reiterates its concern at the continuing lack of key capabilities for
               MINUSCA and the need to fill gaps, in particular in the field of military helicopters,
               as well as the importance of current and future troop and police contributing countries
               (T/PCCs) providing troops and police with adequate capabilities, equipment and
               predeployment training in order to enhance the capacity of MINUSCA to operate
               effectively;
                     36. Recognizes that the effective implementation of peacekeeping mandates is
               the responsibility of all stakeholders and is contingent upon several critical factors,
               including well-defined, realistic, and achievable mandates, political will, leadership,
               performance and accountability at all levels, adequate resources, policy, planning, and
               operational guidelines, and training and equipment;
                    37. Requests the Secretary-General, Member States, and the CAR authorities
               to continue to take all appropriate measures to review and enhance the safety and
               security of MINUSCA’s personnel, in line with resolution 2518 (2020);
                     38. Welcomes the initiatives undertaken by the Secretary-General to
               standardize a culture of performance in UN peacekeeping, recalls its requests in
               resolution 2378 (2017) and resolution 2436 (2018) that the Secretary-General ensure
               that performance data related to the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations is used
               to improve mission operations, including decisions such as those regarding
               deployment, remediation, repatriation and incentives, and reaffirms its support for the
               development of a comprehensive and integrated performance p olicy framework that
               identifies clear standards of performance for evaluating all United Nations civilian
               and uniformed personnel working in and supporting peacekeeping operations that
               facilitates effective and full implementation of mandates, and includes comprehensive
               and objective methodologies based on clear and well-defined benchmarks to ensure
               accountability for underperformance and incentives and recognition for outstanding
               performance, and calls on the United Nations to apply this framework to MINUS CA
               as described in resolution 2436 (2018), in particular by investigating and taking
               immediate action following significant performance failures to implement the
               protection of civilians strategy, to include the rotation, repatriation, replacement or
               dismissal of the under-performing MINUSCA uniformed or civilian personnel,
               including mission leadership and mission support personnel, consistent with



14/17                                                                                                     20-15117

                                                                                                 S/RES/2552 (2020)

           resolution 2436 (2018); notes the efforts of the Secretary-General to develop a
           comprehensive performance assessment system;
                 39. Requests the Secretary-General and the troop and police contributing
           countries to seek to increase the number of women in MINUSCA, as well as to ensure
           the full, equal and meaningful participation of uniformed and civilian women at all
           levels and in all positions, including in senior leadership positions, and to implement
           other relevant provisions of resolution 2538 (2020);
                40. Commends the commitment of the T/PCCs in implementing the Mission’s
           mandate in a challenging environment, and in this connection highlights that
           undeclared national caveats, lack of effective command and control, refusal to obey
           orders, failure to respond to attacks on civilians, and inadequate equipment may
           adversely affect the shared responsibility for effective mandate implementation and
           should not be accepted by the Secretary-General;
                 41. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take necessary measures to
           ensure full compliance of all personnel in MINUSCA with the United Nations zero -
           tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council fully
           informed about the Mission’s progress in this regard, stresses the need to prevent such
           exploitation and abuse and to improve how these allegations are addressed in line
           with its resolution 2272 (2016), and urges troop- and police-contributing countries to
           take appropriate preventative action including vetting of all personnel, pre-deployment
           and in-mission awareness training, and to take appropriate steps to ensure full
           accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel, including through
           timely investigations of allegations by troop- and police-contributing countries, and
           MINUSCA as appropriate, holding perpetrators to account, and repatriating units
           when there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual exploitation and
           abuse by those units;
                 42. Requests MINUSCA to consider the environmental impacts of its
           operations when fulfilling its mandated tasks and, in this context, to manage them as
           appropriate and in accordance with applicable and relevant General Assembly
           resolutions and United Nations rules and regulations;

           Child protection
                 43. Requests MINUSCA to take fully into account child protection as a crosscutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the CAR authorities in ensuring that
           the protection of children’s rights is taken into account, inter ali a, in the DDRR and
           SRR processes in order to end and prevent violations and abuses against children;

           Gender
                 44. Requests MINUSCA to take fully into account gender mainstreaming as a
           cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the CAR au thorities in
           ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation, involvement and representation
           of women, including survivors of sexual violence, in all spheres and at all levels,
           including in the political and reconciliation process and the implementat ion of the
           Peace Agreement, stabilization activities, transitional justice, the work of the SCC
           and of the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, SSR and DDRR
           processes, the preparation and holding of the 2020/2021 elections through, int er alia,
           the provision of gender advisers;

           Weapon and ammunition management
                45. Requests MINUSCA to actively seize, record, dispose of, and destroy, as
           appropriate, weapons and ammunitions of disarmed combatants and armed groups

20-15117                                                                                                     15/17

S/RES/2552 (2020)

               who refuse or fail to lay down their arms and present an imminent threat to civilians
               or the stability of the State, in keeping with its efforts to seize and collect arms and
               any related material the supply, sale or transfer of which violate the measures imposed
               by paragraphs 1 of resolution 2536 (2020);
                      46. Calls upon the CAR authorities in coordination with MINUSCA, including
               UNMAS, and international partners to address the illicit transfer, destabilising
               accumulation, and misuse of small arms and light weapons in the CAR, and to ensure
               the safe and effective management, storage and security of stockpiles of small arms
               and light weapons and the collection and/or destruction of surplus, seized, unmarked,
               or illicitly held weapons and ammunition, and further requests MINUSCA to provide
               technical assistance to the CAR authorities in the implementation of the national
               action plan of the “Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération des armes
               légères et de petit calibre”;

               MINUSCA Freedom of movement
                     47. Urges all parties in the CAR to cooperate fully with the deployment and
               activities of MINUSCA, in particular by ensuring its safety, security and freedom of
               movement with unhindered and immediate access throughout the territory of the CAR
               to enable MINUSCA to carry out fully its mandate in a complex envir onment;
                     48. Calls upon Member States, especially those in the region, to ensure the
               free, unhindered and expeditious movement to and from the CAR of all personnel, as
               well as equipment, provisions, supplies and other goods, including vehicles and spare
               parts, which are for the exclusive and official use of MINUSCA;

               Humanitarian access and humanitarian appeal
                    49. Demands that all parties allow and facilitate the full, safe, immediate and
               unhindered access for the timely delivery of humanitarian assis tance to populations
               in need, in particular to internally displaced persons, throughout the territory of the
               CAR, in accordance with relevant provisions of international law and the
               humanitarian principles;
                      50. Further demands that all parties ensure respect and protection of all
               medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties,
               their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical
               facilities;
                     51. Calls on Member States and international and regional organisations to
               respond swiftly to the humanitarian needs identified in the humanitarian response
               plan through increased contributions and to ensure that all pledges are honoured in
               full and in a timely manner;

               Support to MINUSCA
                     52. Authorises French armed forces, within the provisions of their existing
               bilateral agreement with the CAR and the limits of their capacities and areas of
               deployment, at the request of the Secretary-General, to use all the means to provide
               operational support to elements of MINUSCA when under serious threat, from the
               date of adoption of this resolution, and requests France to ensure reporting to the
               Council on the implementation of this mandate and to coordinate its reporting with
               that of the Secretary-General referred to in paragraph 54 of this resolution;

               Reports by the Secretary-General
                    53. Requests the Secretary-General to review and report on a regular basis the
               conditions required for the transition, drawdown and withdrawal of the United

16/17                                                                                                     20-15117

                                                                                                 S/RES/2552 (2020)

           Nations operation, in a manner which does not prejudice overall efforts to support
           long term objectives for peace and stability;
                54. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council on 15 February
           2021, 15 June 2021 and 11 October 2021, including on:
              – the situation in the CAR, including the security situation, the priority political
                elements as defined above regarding the political process, including the
                electoral process and other issues as set out in paragraph 9 and 12 of this
                resolution, and the implementation of the Peace Agreement, progress on
                mechanisms and capacity to advance governance and fiscal management, and
                relevant information on the progress, promotion and protection of human rights
                and international humanitarian law and on the protection of civilians;
              – the status of the implementation of MINUSCA’s mandated tasks, including
                support to non-United Nations security forces in strict compliance with the
                HRDDP, including by providing appropriate financial information;
              – force and police generation and deployment of all MINUSCA’s constituent
                elements, and information on the progress in the implementation of the measures
                taken to improve MINUSCA’s performance, including measures to ensure force
                effectiveness as outlined in paragraphs 34 to 42, as well as information on the
                implementation of the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse as
                outlined in paragraph 41;
                55.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




20-15117                                                                                                     17/17