Central African Republic has acknowledged the harm caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) and committed to action on the matter.

Statements

In 2017, Central African Republic endorsed the communiqué arising from the Maputo Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. The Maputo Communiqué discussed the harms of EWIPA, the role of African states in working against it, and the need to create a political declaration on the matter. The 19 African states present agreed to work independently and cooperatively to do the following:

• “Encourage collection of data and information to increase awareness and enhance knowledge about the impact of explosive weapons on civilians in populated areas;
• Avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas;
• Fully support the process that will lead to the negotiation and adoption of an international political declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas;
• Promote bilateral and regional cooperation through sharing experiences, good practices and expertise on reducing the harm caused by explosive weapons to civilians;
• Constructively engage in discussions and initiatives at international level that could effectively provide greater protection to civilians in armed conflicts;
• Foster deeper and further engagement from African States and facilitate increased involvement as a group of States;
• Continue and strengthen cooperation and partnerships with international organizations and civil society organizations to draw upon their relevant expertise and support;
• Channel contributions to the draft international political declaration on the matter, as well as engage in advocacy, at national, regional and international levels.”[1]

In October 2018, Central African Republic was one of 50 states to endorse the joint statement on the use of EWIPA at the UN General Assembly First Committee, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of EWIPA and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.[2] Central African Republic also endorsed the Ireland-led joint statement during the United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2019.[3]The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of EWIPA on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international political declaration on this issue.[4]

[1] INEW (2017). ‘Communiqué from Maputo Regional Conference on the Protection of Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. https://www.inew.org/maputo-regional-conference-on-the-protection-of-civlians-from-the-use-of-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas/.

[2] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2018). ‘UNGA73 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA)’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/25Oct_EWIPA.pdf.

[3] INEW (2019). ‘Seventy-one states call for action on impact of explosive weapons in joint statement to UN General Assembly’. https://www.inew.org/seventy-one-states-call-for-action-on-impact-of-explosive-weapons-in-joint-statement-to-un-general-assembly/.

[4] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2019). ‘UNGA74 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA)’. https://article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNGA74-joint-statement-on-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas.pdf.