Model UN position Paper Draft #3

The Central African Republic is currently a country riddled with crime, corruption and
unrest. The country is one of ten poorest countries in the world; the human development level is
currently one-hundred eighty fifth out of one-hundred eighty seven. Despite significant mineral
deposits the economy is struggling greatly as seen from the per capita income ($400US/year).
Violence and civil discontent toward the various governments and rulers have become the cause
for many coups over a fifty-five year span of independence from France.
The United Nations peacebuilding committee set out to change the situation in the
Central African Republic in 2006 when heavy violence broke out in the north-west area of the
country. This exposed more than fifty-thousand people to starvation. UN intervention in the
situation led to the saviour of thousands of lives. In early January 2008, Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon announced that the Central African Republic was fit for financial assistance from the
Peacebuilding fund. However, during the 2012-2014 conflict Ki-Moon suspended the financial
help indefinitely until the ongoing situation resolved (Seleka vs. Antibalaka).
South Africa has also had long history with violence and crime, often towards its own
citizens and government; this allows South Africa to relate to the problems that the C.A.R. are
having. The present day still sees atrocities being committed; however, much of this misconduct
has been discontinued as a variety of lasting methods have been utilized to create a safer South
Africa for everybody. I believe that these three methods can be used to achieve the same goals
for the Central African Republic.
Infrastructure improvement is certainly vital to a long-term solution. It has been said
that if the growth of population exceeds the growth of infrastructure; then misery of the

lower portion of the economy is inevitable. The population of the country has shockingly
quadrupled since gaining independence in 1960; the infrastructure however, has swiftly
declined. The construction of usable roads/pathways and bridges is obviously essential
for the prosperity and future of this country. However, infrastructure includes both
hardware and software. Hardware exists to enable the software to work, just as in
computers. Hardware consists of the capital goods the State has invested in itself (or got
other countries to invest on its behalf foreign aid). It includes tangible assets such as
roads, hospitals, schools, energy sources, tanks (military), and the like. Software has a
much broader base. Governance is the most important item. One has to elect principled
politicians (hard to find, even in advanced democracies such as the USA) to pass the laws
which place limits on what individuals may or may not do. The tax structure must be
established; for the Government's ability to act is based on money. The judicial system
must be established, hopefully with impartial judges with no professional connection to
the politicians. Various departments of the law such as contract law must be defined.
Expenses such as true police and honest lawyers are incurred to enforce the laws.
Schools need teachers, hospitals need nurses and doctors, the armed forces need soldiers
and pilots they all need proper training and paying. All are part of the software. The
civil service is a case in point. Misery of a group of excluded individuals is the main
cause of crime and unrest, if the elected politicians invest in their countrys infrastructure
crime rates will lower, quality of life will rise, as well as the economy.
Economic downfall is not the only problem in the Central African Republic. Violence,
crime and law-breaking are a constant and on-going problem to not only the general public, but
towards the economy and the governments regime. The C.A.R sees over three thousand murders
per year, yet this alarming figure jumps an additional thousand due to rebel groups trying to

make bold statements to administrative figures in the government, ultimately committing

genocide. In order to stop this mass, ongoing onslaught, local peacekeepers and soldiers have to
be stationed in place to keep foreign corruptive figures out, but also combat internal, religious
problems. Currently the Seleka (Muslims) are in control of the country after overthrowing the
C.A.Rs government in 2013. During this rise to power they massacred much of the countrys
Christian population, however, the Christians did not stay quite. They formed a group called the
Antibalaka, a rival to the Seleka that would commit themselves to Christian radicalization.
Unfortunately the country is literally divided between two terror groups and nobody is winning
or gaining anything from this civil war. Until Muslims and Christians are told to stop fighting
and respect each other, peace is not in sight. And the way to show these guerrillas that they are
wrong is to not cower away from using lethal force to exterminate them.
Raw materials in this country that are worth a fortune, the problem is that the government
isnt investing at all into labourers or technology that is advanced enough to extract these
materials (infrastructure). Copper, diamonds, gold, graphite, iron ore and quartz dominate the
rural mountains and forests of the country and other nations have shown that these materials
have a huge impact on the economy. Furthermore, Chinese settlers in Africa have expressed great
interest into creating a mining industry in the Central African Republic, allowing potential
labourers/investors in this sector.
Other problems include the C.A.R.s inability to come up with a sufficient army to fend
off internal conflicts (Seleka vs. Antibalaka) as well as external conflicts that may affect the
nation (Boko Haram). This of course comes back to the countrys incapability in maintaining and
building their infrastructure. This leads to another obstruction, the C.A.R. is situated beside
neighbouring countries that are not a good influence (Chad, South Sudan) for their failure to
generate long lasting peace in their respective nations. However the most challenging obstacle

the C.A.R. has to overcome is the financial trouble. Without money, the most beneficial solution
to the C.A.R.s problems; infrastructure cannot be developed (hardware and software). A
potential solution to that problem is to accept foreign aid as well as the UNs peacebuilding fund
(thirty-one million US dollars) until a stable government and economy is formed to transition
into a self-sufficient nation.