Central African Republic

About

The Central African Republic (CAR) continues to face serious humanitarian and security challenges due to widespread contamination by explosive ordnance (EO), including explosive remnants of war, landmines, and improvised explosive devices. Decades of armed conflict have left large areas, particularly in the western and central regions, affected by EO, exposing civilians, humanitarian actors, and local authorities to persistent daily risks and contributing to population displacement. Since 2020, more than 310 EO-related incidents have been recorded, resulting in nearly 290 victims, 68 per cent of whom were civilians. In parallel, the proliferation, misuse, and illicit circulation of weapons and ammunition, often beyond effective regulation and control, continue to undermine safety and stability, posing significant risks to civilian lives, livelihoods, and long-term development.

Since 2014, UNMAS has played a critical role in addressing these challenges by enhancing safety, supporting stabilization, and contributing to peacebuilding efforts in CAR. UNMAS operates under the auspices of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), whose mandate has been extended until November 2026 pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2800 (2025).

Impact

National Ownership and Institutional Capacity for Mine Action

• Trained NDSF in EO-related skills, resulting in over 30 Central African Armed Forces (Forces armées centrafricaines - FACA) personnel qualified at EO-disposal (EOD) Level 3, with additional personnel currently in training.
• Supported the establishment of the first FACA EOD unit within the engineering battalion, including mentoring, procedures and equipment, enabling gradual national assumption of EO response in Bangui.
• Played a central advocacy and technical role in the official creation of the NMAA, now institutionally anchored under the Presidency.

MINUSCA Force Protection and Mobility

• Trained more than 2,500 MINUSCA peacekeepers (Force and UNPOL) in EO-related disciplines, including induction training, search and detect, mobility planning, convoy command, post-blast investigation and ad hoc specialized courses.
• Provided specialized detection and protective equipment to the most exposed Force units, particularly in western CAR, including advanced detectors and ground-penetrating radars.
• Developed and disseminated standard operating procedures for EO disposal, search and detect operations, and explosive site investigations.

Protection of Civilians and Humanitarians

• Supported EO risk education activities that reached tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children, equipping communities with life-saving knowledge and safe behaviors in EO-contaminated or most-at-risk areas.
• Delivered EO risk awareness training to over 1,000 UN and humanitarian personnel, directly supporting safe humanitarian and development operations.
• Maintained regular information collection, analysis and sharing on EO incidents, supporting evidence-based decision-making by MINUSCA and partners.

Weapons and Ammunition Management

• Strengthened the National Commission for the Fight Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NATCOM-SALW) operational capacity, including support to the adoption of a new five-year national action plan, valid until 2028.
• Supported the decentralization of the NATCOM-SALW, enabling the opening of seven regional offices in strategic locations.
• Facilitated weapons marking and destruction operations, including through mobilization of UN and non-UN donor funding.
• Trained hundreds of national personnel in Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) and rehabilitated or constructed tens of armories in line with international standards, reducing risks of diversion, accidents and proliferation.

Activities

UNMAS supports CAR in preventing, mitigating and responding to the threat posed by EO through a comprehensive and integrated approach that combines national capacity-building, operational support, and institutional development. Its work is structured around four mutually reinforcing pillars:

National Ownership and Institutional Capacity for Mine Action

UNMAS provides sustained technical, advisory and operational support to national authorities to establish a credible, nationally led mine action architecture. This includes supporting the operationalization of the newly established NMAA, assisting in the development of a national mine action strategy, rehabilitating priority infrastructure, procuring essential equipment, and building the technical capacity of the NDSF. These efforts lay the foundation for the Government to regulate, coordinate and progressively assume responsibility for mine action activities in the country.

MINUSCA Force Protection and Mobility