Topic:
Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Sara Plante
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been locked in conflict ever since a coup in 2003 removed its first democratically elected president. After years of civil war marked by bush warfare and militia conflict, the country divided into separate regions in 2014 led by the Muslim ex-Seleka militia (in the North and East) and the Christian anti-Balaka militia. The cultural and political differences between the groups have made peace treaties and efforts for de-escalation difficult. The sustained violence has created a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 1.5 million Central Africans. Refugees have fled to the neighboring countries: Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo. Central Africans face food insecurity and lack access to clean water and health care. The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA) has sent many aid workers to help reconstruct infrastructure and decrease the severity of humanitarian issues caused by violence.
Nigeria has not offered military aid to either the ex-Seleka or anti-Balaka forces nor humanitarian aid to the Central African people. Even though Nigeria lacks the resources to do so, it encourages MINUSCA (and any foreign nations with the resources) to increase humanitarian aid to CAR citizens. The Central African Republic is ranked as the most concerning country on the Global Hunger Index, and less than 3% of the population has access to clean water. Nigeria believes the removal of external incitement will decrease the harm against Central Africans and allow the humanitarian workers to provide more aid without the threat of conflict or danger. Despite Nigeria’s acceptance of Russian military aid, it believes that, in the case of the CAR, Russia’s involvement should be removed to discourage violence. With a population almost equally composed of both Christians and Muslims, Nigeria finds extreme importance in the cooperation of ex-Seleka and anti-Balaka groups to come to a peace agreement to restore order and decrease ethnic and religious violence sparked from political conflict.
Nigeria urges the committee to pass a resolution that prioritizes the welfare of the Central African people by increasing aid from MINUSCA. Nigeria is in full support of any resolution that would address the food, water, housing, and healthcare insecurities facing CAR citizens. Also, the international community must do all it can to decrease the militarization of the militia groups by removing any military training or weapons trading. Even if large efforts can be made for the humanitarian relief of CAR, the political and military struggle must cease for the people’s safety and stability to be ensured.
