*Senior Research Associate, Department of Political Sciences and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
**Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Buea, Cameroon
***Intructor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Buea, Cameroon
Online published on 5 January, 2016.
The Central African Republic has witnessed a succession of peacebuilding efforts from diverse partners including close to two decades of United Nations support and active engagement. In spite of this, peace unraveled with the most devastating consequences witnessed since the March 2013 coup by the Seleka rebels. As a response to unprecedented levels of suffering that followed the Seleka insurgency and takeover, there has been renewed and visibly stronger international commitment to peacebuilding in the Central African Republic. This new peacebuilding engagement is however yet to show signs of sustainability. If anything, it has only reduced fighting in most parts of the country, especially the capital Bangui. Why does the CAR remain fragile in spite of such visible international engagement in the peace process? And what can be done better to ensure that these peacebuilding efforts succeed? The purpose of this chapter is to answer these questions. It shows that for sustainable peace to be the outcome of current peacebuilding efforts, physical security, political efficacy and significant development of physical infrastructure must be sought at the local level before the organization of national elections.
Peacebuilding, Political efficacy, physical infrastructure, physical security, national elections, local level
