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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: UN Security Council says reform a must

NAIROBI, 12 July (IRIN) - The United Nations Security Council has said reforms must be implemented in the Central African Republic, while welcoming the government's efforts to stamp out corruption and establish good governance.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Council President Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom said the UN "encouraged the government to continue along this path and to take the national dialogue further forward". He added that he would be preparing a letter to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank to ask them to "show consideration for the special circumstances in the country".

On Tuesday, CAR Finance Minister Eric Sorongope-Zoumandji was arrested and accused of embezzling public funds, a local news source told IRIN. This was part of an "ongoing campaign" since the beginning of 2002 to fight corruption, which had led to the arrest of about a dozen officials of the revenue, public finance, and national education services, she said. All the arrested officials had been accused of embezzlement of public funds.

In addition, the Security Council members encouraged the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his representative to the CAR, Lamine Cisse, to continue their efforts to improve relations between the country and its neighbours, Greenstock said.

[ENDS]

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