UN warns against MINUSCA withdrawal as Sudan conflict spills into CAR

The United Nations has urged the Security Council to maintain full strength and capabilities for the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR). Valentine Rugwabiza, the UN’s top official in the country, warned that an early troop drawdown could jeopardize recent stability gains as violence from the war in Sudan spills over into CAR’s eastern regions.

Rugwabiza highlighted a June 30 attack on the border town of Am-Dafock, where armed groups killed civilians and security personnel, displaced 17,000 people, and injured six peacekeepers. She noted that MINUSCA’s rapid response was instrumental in restoring state authority after the attackers retreated into Sudan.

Security concerns remain high in the northeast and southeast, particularly near mining sites and pastoral corridors. Between June and September, 26 serious incidents were attributed to suspected members of the Lord’s Resistance Army, including reports of abductions, rapes, and sexual slavery.

While nearly 2,000 fighters have been disarmed and municipal councils are being installed, humanitarian needs remain critical. Approximately 31 percent of the population faced severe food insecurity between April and August, and the UN’s humanitarian plan remains significantly underfunded.