The Central African Republic (CAR) has taken a significant step toward accountability and national healing with the signing of a collaboration protocol between the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission (CVJRR) and the Special Criminal Court (CPS).
The agreement, signed on Tuesday, marks a decisive milestone in the country’s transitional justice process, formalizing institutional cooperation between two of CAR’s most critical justice mechanisms. Officials say the protocol is designed to enhance coordination, complementarity, and effectiveness in addressing grave human rights violations committed during years of conflict.
Under the framework, the CPS—mandated with judicial authority—will continue its work to combat impunity by investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes under international law. The CVJRR, operating with a non-judicial mandate, will focus on truth-seeking, recognition of victims, reparations, and fostering national reconciliation.
Authorities emphasized that the agreement goes beyond a routine administrative arrangement. Rather, it reflects a shared political and institutional will to align efforts in the pursuit of truth, justice, and lasting peace, while ensuring that victims remain at the center of the process.
Observers note that improved coordination between judicial and non-judicial mechanisms could help avoid duplication, strengthen evidence-sharing where appropriate, and reinforce public confidence in transitional justice outcomes.
The signing of the protocol is widely seen as a concrete and deliberate step toward a justice system that not only holds perpetrators accountable but also repairs harm, reconciles communities, and contributes to long-term stability in the Central African Republic.