He also appealed to all political actors and stakeholders to refrain from actions that could incite violence or undermine confidence in the process, stressing the importance of protecting the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the electoral period.
Historic mood
Sunday’s elections will be of unprecedented scale, combining four rounds of voting – presidential, legislative, regional and municipal – across the country. In particular, municipal elections have not been held in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 1988 and are a key provision of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.
The Secretary General described their behavior as: “a historic milestone in the peace process” and a crucial step towards consolidating decentralization and expanding state authority outside the capital.
A complex landscape
The Central African Republic has long struggled with armed violence, weak institutions and a limited state presence outside the capital Bangui.
Despite the 2019 agreement, insecurity persists in parts of the country, while conflict, vulnerable services and extreme weather events continue to fuel a humanitarian crisis, with more than two million people in need of assistance and nearly a million displaced at home or abroad.
The vast, sparsely populated and landlocked CAR is bordered by six countries and crossed by dense forests, rivers and long, often impassable roads. Outside of Bangui, many communities are only accessible by plane or days-long journeys.
UN support for the electoral process
Mr Guterres acknowledged the efforts of national authorities in preparing for the vote and emphasized the role of the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCAin support of the process, in coordination with other UN agencies.
The past few weeks have been MINUSCA has mobilized extensive logistical and security support to distribute election materials across the countryalso to remote and difficult to reach areas.
The mission transported ballot papers, indelible ink, voter rolls and other sensitive materials from Bangui to nearly 4,000 voting centers with about 6,700 polling stations across the country.
MINUSCA/Leonel Grothe
A MINUSCA convoy transporting election packets to voting centers in the Central African Republic in preparation for the December 28, 2025 elections.
MINUSCA deployed all aircraft and helicopters in its fleet to transport election materials and personnel, escorted secure ground convoys and provided temporary storage facilities for sensitive equipment in coordination with the National Elections Authority (NEA).
It further supported civic education and voter awareness campaignsincluding on preventing electoral violence and promoting a code of conduct for political actors.
More than 2.39 million registered voters – including more than 1.14 million women – are expected to cast their votes.
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