UN opens office to aid Central African nations and prevent conflict

UN opens office to aid Central African nations and prevent conflict

2011-03-03 05:05:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations on Wednesday opened a new political office designed to support efforts of Central African nations to consolidate peace and prevent conflict.

The UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) will also aid tackling cross-border challenges such as arms trafficking and organized crime. UNOCA has an initial mandate of two years.

"The establishment of this office honors the aspirations of the leaders of this sub-region who for years have been seeking a UN regional political presence to help address some of the major threats to peace and security in this part of Africa," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe said at a ceremony in Libreville, Gabon.

The head of the new UN political office will be appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. UNOCA will work closely with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which comprises Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.

"The opening of the UN Office in Central Africa is an investment in prevention rather than cure and is designed to enhance the capacity of sub-regional actors so they can come together in a regional framework to prevent and resolve conflicts," Pascoe added.

UNOCA is the third regional political office set up by the UN to promote preventive diplomacy and assist regions to manage shared problems and crises. Pascoe remarked that the establishment of the new office underscores the body's priority of early warning and early political action as major tools for conflict prevention.

The new office follows the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA) and the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).

"The United Nations will continue to be your close partner in your efforts to bring durable peace, security, stability and well-being to your region," Pascoe concluded.

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