September 2008 (NEW YORK): Recommendations for a broader U.N. mandate in Chad

The renewal of MINURCAT’s mandate this September presents some new opportunities to address the internal Chadian conflict and develop a comprehensive strategy for long-term regional stability.

The following recommendations seek to give the U.N. the mandate to address the issues intrinsic to the Chadian crisis and help restore peace in a region torn by decades of war.

1. The U.N. Security Council, and in particular France, should take into consideration the UN Secretary General’s observations of April (S/2008/215) and June 2008 (S/2008/444) that stated that to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, and to ensure the protection of refugees and IDPs, the crisis in Chad and Sudan must be tackled simultaneously and through a coordinated strategy “that takes into account the root causes of the internal conflicts and the regional aspects.” He emphasized that “only a real dialogue between the government of Chad and the armed and un-armed opposition groups, as well as mending the relationship between Khartoum and N'Djamena can provide a lasting solution to the conflict in Chad.”

2. The U.N. Security Council should give MINURCAT the explicit mandate to engage in political efforts towards the resolution of Chad’s internal crisis, and to:

• Facilitate, support and assist, in coordination with the government of Chad and other relevant parties, the implementation of current internal and regional efforts towards stabilization, reconciliation and normalization of relations, as well as any future peace agreements needed to create the necessary conditions conducive to sustainable peace in Chad and the Central Africa Republic; and

• To coordinate and closely liaise with the Dakar Agreement “Contact Group”, UNAMID, the African Union, the European Union and other stakeholders to ensure the complementary implementation of the various mandates.

   

3. The U.N. Security Council should continue to encourage, as stated in S/RES/1778 (2007), the authorities and political stakeholders in Chad and the Central Africa Republic to pursue their efforts of national dialogue, with respect for the constitutional framework.

4. The U.N. Security Council should build on the existing MINURCAT mandate to include the deployment of a military component with capabilities similar to those of EUFOR, as well as U.N. police with both the mandate and resources to conduct patrols and investigations outside of the refugee camps and IDP sites in conjunction with Chadian law enforcement.

5. The U.N. Security Council should authorize the mandate and resources for a broadened approach to justice sector reforms with a focus on strengthening police, gendarmerie, the judicial sector, and key governmental structures, as well as reinforcing local and traditional justice systems.

6. The U.N. Security Council should strengthen MINURCAT’s Child Protection mandate and its capacity to protect children from rape and other forms of sexual violence, emphasizing the importance of full implementation of the UN monitoring and reporting mechanism on children in armed conflict, in accordance with S/RES/1612 (2005)