Thank you, Madame President,

We thank SRSG Abarry for his presentation, the good offices he has offered since the assumption of his post, and we encourage him to continue to work closely with other UN Missions in the region. We also thank Ambassador Verissimo and Ms. Tamoifo for their briefings.

I will now focus on three key issues:

First, the political developments: While we recognize that some progress has been achieved, several challenges still remain. Albania welcomes the measures that the Transitional Authorities in Chad took to reduce tensions following the deadly protests of October 2022, and calls on them to continue to uphold and protect all human rights. For the constitutional referendum and the eventual return to constitutional order, it is important all parties to pursue constructive dialogue.

Preserving the democratic gains made across the region demands continuous efforts in safeguarding the civic space, human rights, and ensuring accountability. In this vein, the political situation in the Central African Republic remains worrying, with violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by all parties, including by Wagner group. At the same time, obstructions to MINUSCA’s mandate are unacceptable, and SOFA must be fully respected.

As far as Sao Tome and Principe are concerned, we welcome the investigations and measures of the Authorities following the torture and death of the individuals detained since 25 November events.

Second, the security developments: Despite national and regional efforts, the activities of armed groups in the region persist. The operations conducted by the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Far North Region of Cameroon and the wider Lake Chad basin have brought together Cameroon and its neighbors in the fight against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. Although a positive development, the Force cannot end the violent activities of extremist groups in the region if their exploitation of resources, recruitment or propaganda as an alternative to state weaknesses go unchecked.

Albania acknowledges Cameroon’s encouraging actions in addressing the crisis in the North-West and South-West Regions. Nonetheless, we remain concerned about the humanitarian impact and human rights violations. It is crucial for humanitarian operations to go unhindered. The resolution of this conflict should be nationally owned and duly supported, as requested by international partners. As such, we encourage the Government to foster a political environment that enables broader political participation and reconciliation.

Third, the regional developments: Albania shares the concerns that the alarming escalation of violence in Sudan is a destabilizing factor in an already extremely fragile region. The challenges on the borders between Sudan, Chad and the CAR should be addressed with continued dialogue and enhanced regional coordination.

This leads me to the next point: climate change remains the underlying, silent driver of conflict and hardships in the region. The mass flooding, displacement and the worsening of intercommunal tensions require collective solutions to develop capacities against climate change.

We strongly commend the continued engagement of UNOCA in underscoring the implication of climate change, as well as its cooperation with ECCAS to promote joint efforts for peace and security in Central Africa. In concluding, we think the Security Council should be united in its support for the region and for the Office and adopt a PRST in this regard.

Thank you.