At the podium of the 3rd Russia‑Africa Summit in Moscow, Central African Republic president Faustin‑Archange Touadéra announced his intention to launch a gradual withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping force MINUSCA from the country.
President Touadéra said the decision follows consultations with international partners and reflects the progress made in security and governance across the Central African Republic.
MINUSCA, which was established in 2014 to help stabilize the country after years of conflict, has been present in the Central African Republic for more than a decade.
The president added that the withdrawal will be phased and coordinated with the United Nations to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities to local authorities.
The announcement was made during the summit, which brought together leaders from Africa and Russia to discuss cooperation on a range of political, economic and security issues.
While the Central African Republic remains one of the world’s most fragile states, the government claims that recent improvements in security and governance justify a step‑back of the international peacekeeping presence.
<small>Source: Actu Cameroun — read the original story there.</small>
