From 14 to 27 January, members of the National Electoral Authority (NEA) visited 11 of the 16 prefectures of the Central African Republic (CAR). Their goal was to establish an initial inventory of the resources available for a series of elections that will allow the country to close its current political transition period by early 2015.

Established in December 2013, the NEA is an independent body responsible for organizing elections in the CAR. It is composed of seven members appointed for a term of 7 years.

During their tour of the country’s prefectures, supported logistically by the United Nations Integrated Office for Peacebuilding in CAR (BINUCA), members of the NEA were accompanied by electoral experts from BINUCA and the United Nations development Programme (UNDP).

On Friday 24 January, the delegation visited Berbérati, capital of the Prefecture of Mambéré-Kadéï, in the south-western CAR, about 500 kilometers from Bangui. During their meetings with city and prefecture officials, and representatives of civil society and various figures of the region, members of the NEA and UN experts once again measured the magnitude of the task ahead.

Although the region has been relatively untouched by the current crisis and the administration remains mostly operational, the instability of recent months has caused serious damage. Many administrative archives were looted or destroyed, town halls have been vandalized. However, the Mayor of Berbérati, Sub-Prefects and the Prefect of the region insisted that efforts will be made to gather materials and resources necessary for the reconstitution of the electoral lists in particular.

In his speech, intended to explain the purpose of their tour of the prefectures of the Central African Republic, the President of the NEA, Mr. Dieudonné Kombo Yaya, noted that the mission’s task is first to inquire about the current state of local administrative institutions, the resources available and documents relating to past elections (electoral lists, birth records ...)

He appealed to the populations to participate in the effort, and added that this visit was the first step towards the start of an electoral process that will be marked by the organization of presidential and legislative elections as well as the holding of a constitutional referendum.

In response, while welcoming the electoral mission, several speakers noted that the most critical issue is the maintenance of the relative calm and security that prevail in the region. Although the prefecture has seen fewer clashes between former Seleka and anti-Balaka militias, many expressed hope that international military forces will soon deploy in the region as a climate of fear is palpable.

BINUCA support to the electoral process in the Central African Republic is consistent with its mandate, particularly under Security Council resolution 2121 adopted on 10 October 2013.