Security Council resolution 2693 (2023) [on renewal of measures on arms embargo against the Central African Republic until 31 July 2024 and extension of the mandate of the Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Resolution 2127 (2013) until 31 Aug. 2024]
Symbol: S/RES/2693 (2023)
Date: 2023-07-27
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/78 [181] CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SITUATION
S/78 [227] UN MULTIDIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED STABILIZATION MISSION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
S/ X The situation in the Central African Republic.
Subjects: UN. Security Council Committee Established pursuant to Resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic|UN. Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2127 (2013)|UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC|ARMS EMBARGO
Votes in favour: 13
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 2
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: abstention
country: ECUADOR
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALTA
vote: yes
country: MOZAMBIQUE
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: SWITZERLAND
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                       S/RES/2693 (2023)
               Security Council                                                   Distr.: General
                                                                                  27 July 2023




               Resolution 2693 (2023)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9388th meeting, on
               27 July 2023

                    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,
                    Welcoming the efforts made by the CAR authorities, in coordination with their
               regional and international partners, to advance the reform of th e security sector (SSR),
               including the ongoing deployment of CAR defence and security forces, encouraging
               them to continue and enhance the implementation of their National Defence Plan,
               Force Employment Concept, and National Security Policy, and acknowledging the
               urgent need for the CAR authorities to train and equip their defence and security
               forces to be able to respond proportionately to threats to the security of all citizens in
               the CAR and to protect and promote human rights and prevent violations and abuses,
                     Reaffirming that implementation of the Political Agreement on Peace and
               Reconciliation in the CAR (the Peace Agreement) remains the only mechanism for
               achieving lasting peace and stability in the CAR, welcoming the recent formal
               dissolution of two armed groups and factions of three other armed groups that are
               signatory to the Peace Agreement, urging all parties to respect the ceasefire
               announced by President Touadéra on 15 October 2021, expressing concern that some
               signatories to the Peace Agreement continue to disregard their commitments, urging
               all signatories to implement the Peace Agreement in good faith and without delay,
               also urging all stakeholders in the CAR to engage in dialogue to make further progress
               toward peace, security, justice, reconciliation, inclusivity and development, and
               underscoring the need for international partners to support the implementation of the
               Peace Agreement via the roadmap adopted by the International Conference on the
               Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Luanda on 16 September 2021, and to continue
               coordinating their actions with the CAR Government to bring lasting peace and
               stability to the CAR,
                     Condemning cross-border criminal activities, such as arms trafficking, illicit
               trade, illegal exploitation, and trafficking of natural resources, including gold,
               diamonds, timber, and wildlife, as well as the illicit transfer, destabilising
               accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, that threaten the peace



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               and stability of the CAR, also condemning the use of mercenaries and violations of
               international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by
               them, encouraging the Government of CAR to continue enhancing the existing
               collaboration with neighbouring countries to secure its borders and other entry points
               to prevent the cross-border flows of armed combatants, arms and conflict minerals,
               stressing the need for CAR authorities to finalise and implement, in cooperation with
               relevant partners, a strategy to tackle the illegal exploitation and smug gling of natural
               resources, and encouraging the government of CAR and neighbouring countries to
               work together to secure their borders,
                     Expressing serious concern about the humanitarian situation in the CAR, further
               expressing concern about the outbreak of conflict in Sudan and its impact on the
               security and humanitarian situation in the CAR, and calling on all parties to the
               conflicts to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, in
               particular to allow and facilitate the rapid and unhindered passage for humanitarian
               relief to the population in need across the CAR,
                    Taking note of the request of the CAR authorities to lift the arms embargo and
               also taking note of the positions expressed by African regional and subregional
               organizations in the context of their support to the peace process,
                     Recalling that the Security Council Committee established pursuant to
               resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the CAR (“the Committee”) has approved all
               exemption requests submitted by the CAR authorities under the framework of the
               arms embargo,
                     Welcoming the commitment demonstrated and the progress made by the CAR
               authorities, along with their regional and international partners, to achieve the key
               benchmarks for the review of the arms embargo measures, established in the
               statement of its President of 9 April 2019 (S/PRST/2019/3) (“the key benchmarks”),
               noting in particular progress achieved by the Commission nationale de lutte contre la
               prolifération des armes légères et de petit calibre, as well as progress towards an
               agreement on the national marking format, affirming that the key benchmarks
               constitute a solid cooperation framework on reform of the security sector (SSR), the
               disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) process, and the
               management of weapons and ammunition in the CAR, and reiterating the need for the
               CAR authorities to continue improving physical protection, control, management,
               traceability, and accountability of weapons, ammunition and military equipment
               transferred to their control,
                     Encouraging the CAR authorities to continue with their efforts aimed at
               reforming their security forces, implementing the Disarmament, Demobilisation,
               Reintegration and Repatriation (DDRR) programme in line with the Peace Agreement
               via the roadmap and operating an effective weapons and ammunition manage ment
               system, calling on the CAR authorities and MINUSCA to continue strengthening their
               coordination, and also calling on the CAR authorities to take all appropriate measures
               to enhance the safety and security of United Nations personnel and equipment,
                     Welcoming all efforts by CAR authorities towards achieving the advancement
               of the SSR process, the DDRR process and necessary weapons and ammunition
               management reforms, encouraging the CAR authorities to continue their progress in
               this regard, calling on regional and international partners to provide coordinated
               support to the CAR authorities in these efforts, noting in that regard the roles of
               MINUSCA in line with its mandate, the European Union Training Mission in the CAR
               (EUTM), as well as joint bilateral commissions,




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                Welcoming efforts by the Panel of Experts to investigate violations of the arms
           embargo, and noting its intention to hold those who violate the arms embargo
           accountable,
                 Stressing that deliveries of weapons, ammunition and military equipmen t and
           the provision of technical assistance or training, to the CAR security forces should
           contribute to the development of CAR security sector institutions and respond to the
           specific needs of the CAR defence and security forces,
                 Stressing that the measures imposed by this resolution are not intended to have
           adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the CAR , and
           recalling resolution 2664 (2022),
                 Recalling the need for States to ensure that all measures taken by them to
           implement this resolution comply with their obligations under international law,
           including international humanitarian law, international human rights law and
           international refugee law, as applicable,
               Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 15 May 2023 (S/2023/442)
           submitted pursuant to resolution 2659 (2022),
                 Taking note of the Secretary-General’s letter dated 15 June 2023 addressed to
           the President of the Security Council (S/2023/356) consistent with paragraph 13 of
           resolution 2588 (2021) and of the CAR authorities’ report addressed on 26 June 2023
           to the Committee consistent with paragraph 13 of resolution 2648 (2022),
                Further taking note of the final report (S/2023/360) of the Panel of Experts on
           the CAR established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), expanded by resolution 2134
           (2014) and extended pursuant to resolution 2588 (2021) (“the Panel of Experts”), and
           taking note also of the Panel of Experts’ recommendations,
                 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,
                1.    Decides that the arms embargo measures established by resolu tion 2127
           (2013) and the notification requirements set out in paragraph 1 of resolution 2648
           (2022) shall no longer apply to the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related materiel
           and the provision of assistance, advice and training to the CAR security forces,
           including state civilian law enforcement institutions;
                 2.    Decides all other provisions set out in paragraph 1 of resolution 2648
           (2022) shall continue to apply until July 31, 2024, further decides that the supplying
           Member State or international, regional or subregional organisation is primarily
           responsible for notifying the Committee and that such notification must be in advance
           of the delivery of supplies or provision of assistance, reaffirms that such notification
           shall no longer apply to the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related materiel and
           the provision of assistance, advice and training to the CAR security forces, in
           accordance with paragraph 1 above;
                 3.   Decides to renew until 31 July 2024 the measures and provisions as set out
           in paragraph 4 of resolution 2488 (2019), except for the supply, sale or transfer of
           arms and related materiel and the provision of assistance, advice and training to the
           CAR security forces, in paragraph 5 of resolution 2488 (2019) and in paragraph 2 of
           resolution 2399 (2018) and recalls paragraph 9 of resolution 2488 (2019);
                 4.    Decides to renew until 31 July 2024 the measures and provisions as set out
           in paragraphs 9, 14, and 16 to 19 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by paragraph
           4 of resolution 2536 (2020) and recalls paragraphs 10 to 13 and 15 of resolution 2399
           (2018);

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                     5.   Reaffirms that the measures described in paragraphs 9 and 16 of resolution
               2399 (2018) shall apply to individuals and entities as designated by the Committee,
               as set forth in paragraphs 20 to 22 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by
               paragraph 5 of resolution 2648 (2022), including for involvement in planning,
               directing, sponsoring or committing acts in the CAR that violate international
               humanitarian law, which include attacks against medical personnel or humanitarian
               personnel;
                     6.   Decides to extend until 31 August 2024 the mandate of the Panel of
               Experts, as set out in paragraphs 30 to 39 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by
               paragraph 6 of resolution 2648 (2022), expresses its intention to review the mandate
               and take appropriate action regarding its further extension no later than 31 July 2024,
               and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures as
               expeditiously as possible to allow the Panel of Experts to pursue its work without
               interruptions, in consultation with the Committee, drawing, as appropriate, on the
               expertise of the current members of the Panel of Experts;
                      7.   Requests the Panel of Experts to provide to the Council, after discussion
               with the Committee, a midterm report no later than 31 January 2024, a final report no
               later than 15 June 2024, and progress updates, as appropriate;
                     8.   Strongly condemns attacks committed by armed groups of the Coalition
               des patriotes pour le changement (CPC), and requests the Panel, in the course of
               carrying out its mandate, to consider proposing or updating further statements of cases
               for possible designation pursuant to paragraphs 20 to 21 of resolution 2399 (2018);
                     9.    Expresses particular concern about reports of illicit transnational
               trafficking networks which continue to fund and supply armed groups in the CAR,
               notes in particular the increasing use of explosive ordnances, including improvised
               explosive devices (IEDs), and landmines, which account for a growing number of
               civilian casualties as well as the destruction of civilian properties and continue to
               disrupt humanitarian access, and requests the Panel, in the course of carrying out its
               mandate, to devote special attention to the analysis of such networks and threats
               relating to explosive ordnances, in cooperation with other Panels or Groups of Experts
               established by the Security Council as appropriate;
                     10. Urges all parties, and all Member States, as well as international, regional
               and subregional organisations to ensure cooperation with the Panel of Experts and the
               safety of its members;
                     11. Further urges all Member States and all relevant United Nations bodies to
               ensure unhindered access, in particular to persons, documents and sites in or der for
               the Panel of Experts to execute its mandate and recalls the value of information -
               sharing between MINUSCA and the Panel of Experts;
                    12. Reaffirms the Committee provisions and the reporting and review
               provisions as set out in resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by resolution 2588
               (2021);
                     13. Requests the CAR authorities to report, by 15 May 2024, to the Committee
               on the progress achieved regarding the SSR, the disarmament, demobilisation,
               reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) process in line with the Peace Agreement via
               the roadmap, and the management of weapons and ammunition;
                    14. Requests the Secretary-General, in close consultation with MINUSCA,
               including UNMAS, and the Panel of Experts, to report, no later than 15 May 2024,
               on the progress achieved by the CAR authorities on the key benchmarks;




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                15. Affirms that it shall closely monitor the situation in the CAR, including
           progress achieved in relation to the SSR process, the DDRR process in line with the
           Peace Agreement via the roadmap and the management of weapons and ammunition;
                16.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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