Countries in Central Africa are registering electoral progress and notching some security gains, even as climate shocks and increasingly sophisticated terrorist attacks continue to drive human misery across the subregion, the senior UN official there told the Security Council today.
"Over the past six months, Central Africa has achieved considerable progress, even though it continues to face challenges," said Abdou Abarry, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA). Giving a broad overview of recent regional developments, he sounded alarm over the worsening crisis in Sudan and ongoing security challenges in the Lake Chad Basin, while outlining significant progress in Gabon, the Central African Republic and elsewhere.
"The region has demonstrated its ability to tackle matters of concern," he said. Among recent success stories, he said Chad launched an ambitious national development programme with important reforms, while peaceful elections were held in Gabon. In Cameroon, a presidential election was held in an atmosphere of calm. However, there is now considerable concern about an uptick in post-election violence.
Meanwhile, in the Lake Chad Basin, "Boko-Haram affiliate groups continue to demonstrate their ability to adapt themselves to the operations undertaken by the security forces of the four affected countries" - namely, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria - with women and children hit hardest by the resulting violence.
Calling for stronger support for the Multinational Joint Taskforce working to combat that terrorist threat, he voiced grave concern over Sudan's security and humanitarian crises. Since the fall of the city of El Fasher in November to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, more than 12,000 people have joined the 1.2 million Sudanese refugees that had already fled to neighbouring Chad.
While refugees are being hosted with remarkable generosity and hospitality, they face high rates of food insecurity and basic services are under extreme pressure at a time when the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan is only 26 per cent funded. He urged regional countries to take a more proactive approach and the Council to push harder for peace in Sudan, "which has repercussions for the entire region".
1.2 Million Children Out of School, Fragile Education System
Also briefing the Council was Christelle Hurè, Regional Head of Advocacy for the Norwegian Refugee Council, who highlighted the alarming education situation in the region. She said that, as of August 2025, nearly 5,800 schools across the region were closed - leaving over 1.2 million children out of school - in an environment where looting, arson, killings, and abductions are frequent. "When school doors closed, protection risks rise sharply, especially for girls, who face increased exposure to gender-based violence, child marriage, early pregnancy, child labour, and recruitment by armed groups," she said.
Highlighting several country-specific situations, she said in the north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon, hundreds of thousands of children have been affected by conflict and insecurity. In the Central African Republic, years of crisis have left the education system fragile. "Structural weaknesses persist - shortages of qualified teachers, overcrowded classrooms, incomplete school cycles and significant gender disparities." The Council must ensure that schools remain safe, respected civilian spaces, she stressed, also urging partners to strengthen preparedness and community-level resilience, and provide predictable multi-year funding to countries across Central Africa.
Risk of Regional Spillover of Protracted Conflicts in Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo
"We remain concerned by the continued insecurity across Central Africa," said Denmark's representative, who joined other Council members in taking the floor following the briefings. "Protracted conflicts in Sudan and eastern [Democratic Republic of the Congo] risk spilling over and destabilizing the region," she said, also voicing deep concern over ongoing terrorist violence - especially the increased use of drones and improvised explosive devices.
Consequences of Climate Shocks
The representative of Greece echoed those concerns, also stressing that climate shocks have wide-ranging implications for regional stability. "Women and girls are paying the heaviest price of conflicts and natural disasters," he stressed, welcoming recent initiatives by UNOCA and regional actors to address the impacts of climate change. "Comprehensive, conflict-sensitive and climate-responsive approaches [are needed] to strengthen resilience and sustainability," he said.
The Republic of Korea's delegate agreed that environmental changes are increasingly contributing to the root causes of insecurity in Central Africa. "These conditions are heightening transhumance-related tensions, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin and areas adjacent to the Sahel," he said, citing rising social and economic instability and an environment that is increasingly conducive to the spread of violent extremism. UNOCA and its Climate, Peace and Security Adviser must continue to assess related risks and support the region's capacity to respond to this issue, he said.
"The impact of climate change on stability in the region is clear," stressed France's representative. Meanwhile, the conflict in Sudan has a direct impact on Chad and the Central African Republic, where the influx of refugees has been exacerbating the humanitarian situation. Also citing floods in Cameroon and a drought in Angola, he urged UNOCA to identify and help implement concrete solutions to prevent climate change - together with other crisis factors - "from fueling intercommunal or agro-pastoral conflicts" across the region.
Spiraling Crisis in Sudan, Post-Election Violence in Cameroon
The representative of the United Kingdom echoed concerns over Sudan's spiraling crisis, as well as significant post-election violence in Cameroon. Calling for continued engagement and support for a Cameroonian-led dialogue, he said regional cooperation is crucial to tackle Boko Haram and the terrorist group known as Islamic State-West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Lake Chad Basin.
The Russian Federation's delegate also voiced deep concern over the crisis in Sudan, the continued destructive potential of Boko Haram and the activities of ISIL-affiliated groups in the region. Highlighting the need to reform international financial institutions and comprehensively restructure external public debt for the benefit of African nations, she nevertheless underlined Moscow's rejection of any attempt to address matters related to climate change in the Security Council. "We do not support the attempt advanced by a number of States to link the climate agenda with matters of international peace and security," she stressed.
On another matter, Panama's representative was among those speakers who voiced regret over the recent post-election violence in Cameroon and urged all parties to refrain from any further escalation. Turning to Chad - whose 2024 elections the Special Representative highlighted in his briefing - he voiced concern over a recent consolidation of power and a shrinking civic space, declaring: "UNOCA has an important role to play in supporting national and regional actors to ensure that reforms do not erode institutional legitimacy or long-term stability."
Attacks by Boko Haram, Other Terrorist Groups
Guyana's delegate, also speaking for Somalia, Sierra Leone and Algeria, voiced deep concern as well over the continued activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. She cited the deaths of several military personnel from the Multinational Joint Task Force, who were ambushed in late October, as an example of the grave threat facing those troops. More broadly, she welcomed the successful conduct of elections in several countries during the reporting period, adding: "Calm has been restored in Cameroon following its recently held presidential election." Against that backdrop, she voiced strong support for UNOCA and warned against any attempts to reduce its resources, which would only undermine the execution of its vital mandate.
The representative of China was among those speakers calling on the international community to provide more constructive support to countries of Central Africa, while emphasizing that all support should be based on "specific national conditions". Expressing concern over the region's security situation - especially the high number of terrorist attacks in the Lake Chad Basin - he urged the international community to adopt a "common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable" approach and to urgently ease the debt burdens faced by countries of the region.
Support, Adequate Fund for UN Regional Office for Central Africa
Slovenia's delegate, Council President for December, agreed in her national capacity that UNOCA has a special role in addressing the unique security situations in the various Central African countries. The Office must be provided with the resources needed to continue that important work and effectively implement its mandate, she said.
"Pakistan supports the role of [UNOCA] in preventive diplomacy in the region," said that country's representative, echoing concerns over the "complex picture" characterized by many political transitions, security challenges and humanitarian crises. He joined other speakers in sounding alarm over recurring violence in the Lake Chad Basin and the upsurge of increasingly sophisticated terrorist attacks, underlining the urgency of strengthening the Multinational Joint Task Force. "We reiterate the call for predictable and sustainable financing for such African-led initiatives," he stressed.
"The United States recognizes the potential in Africa, and views African counties as equal and capable commercial partners," said the representative of the United States, striking a different tone. While condemning the increasing violence and disregard for human life by terrorist groups, he urged countries of the region to take a stronger leading role in countering their own security challenges.
The representative of Equatorial Guinea also addressed the Council, voicing his profound concern over false allegations and erroneous narratives about his country contained in the Secretary-General's most recent report on Central Africa, which related to faults in its judicial system. Defending the country's high legal standards, he also categorically rejecting any allegations of religious intolerance in his country, voicing deep regret that UNOCA's assessment has been swayed by "foreign sensationalist publications" without input from his Government.
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .
