The presidential and legislative elections that had been scheduled to take place this Sunday in the Central African Republic (CAR) will now be held on 30 December 2015, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country reported today. The new date for the polls was announced today by the national electoral authorities, who stated that more time was needed to address logistical issues and complete the training of electoral agents.

“I would not characterize it as a setback,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in response to questions at a press conference in New York. “I think obviously, given the very delicate security situation going on in the country, it's important that the elections take place in the best possible way.”

“The peacekeeping mission will continue to assist with the distribution of ballots and it will of course support the national Central African forces, but this was a decision taken by the Central African electoral authorities themselves. It is their process. It is their elections to run, and we are there to support them.”

The elections, which follow the Constitutional referendum held last week, are taking to stabilize the impoverished country plagued by more than two years of fighting between the mainly Muslim Séléka and mainly Christian anti-Balaka groups. According to the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA), all presidential and legislative electoral ballots arrived in the capital, Bangui, yesterday and the mission will proceed with a progressive delivery of the ballots to the provinces.

Meanwhile, the Mission said that the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process in the country continues.  In Kaga Bandoro, 35 weapons and over 100 rounds of ammunition were voluntarily handed over by anti-Balaka and ex-Séléka. In Bambari, cash for work activities for 38 anti-Balaka fighters were launched. In Bouar, some 70 anti-Balaka handed over a number of weapons, marking the first time they have voluntarily handed over military equipment in that area.

SOURCE UN News Centre