Luanda – The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, Tuesday in Luanda appealed to the rebel forces and the civil opposition in Central Africa Republic to contribute to the normalisation of the situation in the country.

Closing the Heads of States’ Summit on Security in CAR, João Lourenço underlined the need for the rebel forces and the civil opposition to respond to the gesture of good will of President Faustin Touaderá.
"We are now before the possibility to define a framework in which to put in motion the mechanisms achieved with the armed opposition," said President Lourenço, who is also the acting Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
In his address, the Angolan President said that within the framework of the said mechanisms, the armed opposition has “agreed to quit the war path and participate in the implementation of a serious process of disarmament, demobilisation, reinsertion and reintegration.”

President João Lourenço said he believes that the conditions are in place for the start of a new phase of pacification of the CAR, in which the legitimate Government, led by President Faustin Touaderá, will play the crucial role in leading all acts towards the concretisation of the points stipulated in the Khartoum Accords.
The said accords were signed in February 2019, in Khartoum (Sudan), between the CAR Government and representatives of 14 armed groups that control a part of the country’s territory, following negotiations brokered by the African Union.

On the occasion, João Lourenço said he was sure that the interest and engagement of the countries of the region in the settlement of the conflict in the CAR will not change, concerning the observation of the commitments and sustainability of peace.

President João Lourenço said he believes that the conditions are in place for the start of a new phase of pacification of the CAR, in which the legitimate Government, led by President Faustin Touaderá, will play the crucial role in leading all acts towards the concretisation of the points stipulated in the Khartoum Accords.
The said accords were signed in February 2019, in Khartoum (Sudan), between the CAR Government and representatives of 14 armed groups that control a part of the country’s territory, following negotiations brokered by the African Union.

On the occasion, João Lourenço said he was sure that the interest and engagement of the countries of the region in the settlement of the conflict in the CAR will not change, concerning the observation of the commitments and sustainability of peace.

He added the only motivation behind the efforts made by the leadership of the ICGLR and of the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS) is to contribute to the definite settlement of the conflict in the CAR.

"The leadership of this process must be undertaken by the CAR itself. We will stand by you, to provide all necessary assistance, for the success of this challenge that we believe is closer and closer to its happy ending," said the Angolan Statesman.

He underlined the need for combined efforts with the UN Security Council permanent members towards a definite lifting of the arms embargo on the CAR.

The Summit has been sponsored by the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, in his capacity as Acting Chair of the ICGLR.

The Luanda event has been attended by the presidents of Central Africa Republic, Faustin Touaderá, Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Congo, Dennis Sassou Nguesso, and of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, Abdul Fatah al-Burhan.
Also attending were high level delegations from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).