Statement by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador João Genésio de Almeida Filho, on the Situation in Central Africa - June 5th, 2023
Madame President,
I would like to thank SRSG Abdou Abarry, Secretary-General Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo for their highly informative briefings. We have listened attentively to the representative of the civil society.
Madame President,
Let me start by highlighting the efforts of UNOCA and the whole UN Africa team in preventive diplomacy, mediation as well as in coordinating with other international and regional organizations present in Central Africa.
These efforts, while still ongoing, have already produced important results. I have in mind, among others, the continued engagement of UNOCA and ECCAS in support of political transition in Chad. Brazil welcomes the progress achieved in the preparation for the constitutional referendum in late November and the reduction of tensions after the protests last October.
Brazil also follows with attention the situation in the sister nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, of which we are particularly close for linguistic and historical reasons. The peaceful transfer of power in October 2021 and the orderly legislative and local elections held last September were important developments, which received wide praise from international observers.
In this overall positive context, the attack on the headquarters of the armed forces last November and the death - while under state custody - of alleged perpetrators is a worrisome development. We are encouraged by the efforts of the local authorities with the objective of strengthening the justice and security sector reforms and welcome the support provided by ECCAS and UNOCA, as well as other UN agencies, in this regard.
Madame President,
Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is an area in which positive results have been accomplished. This is, first and foremost, an achievement by the states of the region, particularly as a result of their efforts in the context of the Yaoundé Architecture.
The recent uptick in maritime crime, with instances of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, show that, as we approach the 10th Anniversary of the Yaoundé Architecture, there is no room for complacency, lest hard-won gains be reversed.
As a member of the Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (G7 ++ FoGG), and of ZOPACAS, Brazil stands ready to continue supporting countries of the region through cooperation and joint naval operations, as we have done in recent maritime operations such as Guinex, Obangame Express and Grand African Nemo.
In this regard, brazil has already started the organization of Operation Guinex III, due to take place next august and September. Operation Guinex aims at strenghthening the partnership between the Brazilian navy and the navies and cost guards from gulf of Guinea countries.
Madame President,
Many challenges remain for Central Africa. Long-running conflicts have been exacerbated by the hardships, for instance the increased global inflation. Central Africa faces multidimensional and crossborder threats to peace and security. Terrorism, including the presence of the so-called Islamic State and of Boko Haram is a grave threat in the Lake Chad Basin. We must therefore commend the efforts of the authorities, which made possible a reduction in the activities of those groups.
The situation in Cameroon is particularly concerning, as the country is affected by violence both in the lake chad basin and in its english speaking regions.
Brazil condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack during the "Mount Cameroon Race of Hope", which was directly aimed at civilians, including children.
Finally, Madame President,
We believe that socio-economic developments will be key for the evolution of the situation in Central Africa in the future.
Brazil has been working closely with its African partners in South-South cooperation initiatives to address challenges in health and food security, but this has to be a global effort, aimed at reducing economic and social disparities between different regions of the world.
And I thank you.