ICGLR calls for dialogue in Central African Republic

Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 13:38:00|Editor: huaxia
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LUANDA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on Friday urged politicians and civil society in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) to overcome differences through dialogue instead of military means.

This call was heard as a mini-summit of the ICGLR member countries was held in Luanda, capital of Angola, to discuss prevailing insecurity in the CAR.

ICGLR member countries must assume a constructive and influential role with the "living forces" of the CAR, so that they understand the infeasibility of the military solution to the conflict, and get prepared to accept dialogue with the legitimate government of the country, said Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the acting chair of the ICGLR.

The ICGLR is an inter-governmental organization of African countries in the African Great Lakes Region. It was created with the aim of resolving peace and security issues following the political conflicts that marked the region in 1994.

The current situation leaves the legitimate government of the CAR in a position of great fragility, given the growing ease of rebel forces to acquire weapons of all calibres and firepower, Lourenco said.

He underlined that action for peace and security in the CAR would be developed in close cooperation with the African Union and the United Nations.

"We want a Great Lakes sub-region free of unnecessary armed conflict, death, destruction and forced displacement of its populations," Lourenco said.

Leaders of countries in the Great Lakes region attended the mini-summit.

Tensions intensified in the CAR as the country held the presidential elections on Dec. 27, 2020.

On Jan. 4, authorities announced preliminary results of the vote, saying Touadera won 53.92 percent, but his opponents demanded that the Constitutional Court cancel the ballot, claiming "massive fraud" and low voter turnout.

On Jan. 18, the Constitutional Court of the Central African Republic confirmed the re-election of President Faustin-Archange Touadera for his second term, with 53.16 percent of the Dec. 27 balloting. Enditem

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