On 21/5/2021, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr. Isidore NTIRAMPEBA hosted a press conference on the 51st meeting of the United Nations Permanent Advisory Committee in charge of Security Issues in Central Africa (UNSAC), scheduled at Bujumbura from May 24 to 28, 2021.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation informed that UNSAC has several achievements to its credit, including mechanisms and instruments that have been adopted.
Mr. Isidore NTIRAMPEBA also recalled that Burundi has already hosted the 34th and the 39th ministerial meeting respectively in 2012 and 2014. In this context, UNSAC adopted at the 39th meeting a declaration called the “Bujumbura Declaration” on the threat linked to the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram group to peace, security and stability in Africa because of the risk of destabilization of our sub-region and by which the member States have asked the Security Council to seize it.
In addition, the 51st meeting of the United Nations Permanent Advisory Committee in charge of Security Issues in Central Africa will review the geopolitical and security situation in the Member States and, will make an update on the strategy to fight against the COVID-pandemic 19 as part of the Declaration of the World Health Organization (WHO) from May 18 to 19, 2020 setting the course to combat this scourge as recalled in the Malabo Declaration on the impact of COVID-19 on peace and support for the implementation of the regional strategy to fight this pandemic in Central Africa.
The meeting will evoke and discuss the state of play on various subjects such as disarmament and security reform in Central Africa, the management of elections in Central Africa, the implementation of Women, Peace and Security agenda in the framework Security Council Resolution 1325 and other matters of common interest to member States.
Mr. Isidore NTIRAMPEBA announced that apart from the Heads of ministerial delegations, senior Officials of the United Nations will take part in the meeting in Bujumbura, including the Special Representatives of the General Secretariat of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa, the African Union, the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the United Nations Office for the Great Lakes, etc.
Regarding measures to combat COVID-19, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation reassured about the measures taken by the Government to ensure the health of participants, including preventive measures and fight against COVID-19 before, during and after the meeting in Bujumbura.
Note that UNSAC has 11 member States: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad.
