Following the Brussels conference for the Central African Republic (CAR), which took place on 17 November 2016, Perus Defence Minister Jorge Nieto sent armed forces to participate in the construction and maintenance of aerodromes and roads and to assist with the overall peace and security mission in the region
Nieto and Armed Forces Joint Command chief admiral Jose Luis Paredes Lora sent 'Blue Beret' personnel to a ceremony on 3 January in Lima, Peru, to aid the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.
The mission is part of the United Nations' Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the region. The mission was deployed by the UN Security Council on 10 April 2014 and its mandate has been extended until the 15 November 2017.
The mission aims to support the transition period by facilitating humanitarian assistance, promoting and protecting human rights, supporting justice and the rule of law, and disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration and repatriation processes.
Peru sent 205 Blue Beret military officers composed of 121 Army, 58 Navy and 26 Air Force members. The work that the Peruvian officials shall undertake will involve the construction of landing runways and heliports in CAR. Armed forces will also support the building and maintenance of roads from its base in Bouar.
In November, the European Commission pledged €409mn (US$430mn) for the period of 2016 - 2020 while EU member states pledged an additional €298mn (US$313mn). This is in addition to the €500mn (US$525mn) that the World Bank and United Nations have already mobilised for the development of CAR since 2013.
The EU has a comprehensive approach in the Central African Republic, which includes humanitarian assistance, development support and the Bêkou Trust Fund, Common Security and Defence Policy, and crisis response. All of these support the EU's partnership with CAR, which has continued to be a key development partner for over 30 years.
