'Everyone must be on board' for peace in Central African Republic: UN's Lacroix.

The agreement by the Government and armed groups in the Central African Republic to hold talks later this month (CAR) is 'an important step to resolve the country's crisis', said the UN peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on Thursday.

'Now there is a path, it is the path of dialogue. There is a date to start this dialogue, it's 24 January,' said the head of the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), speaking to reporters in the capital Bangui. 'There is an organization which will convene and organize these discussions in Khartoum, it is the African Union,' he added.

Mr. Lacroix has been in the country since Tuesday, alongside the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, in a bid to revive a stalled peace process. During his visit, he appealed for all international actors to ensure that 2019 is 'the year of peace' for CAR.

Speaking before departing the country, Mr. Lacroix said that all Central Africans needed to be involved, adding that 'everyone must be on board and everyone must be mobilized for it to succeed'.

He called for a 'period of dialogue and commitment to ensure that the country can turn the page of the violence', highlighting the importance of the apparent momentum that represents a 'chance for the Central African Republic'.

For his part, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, underlined "everyone's" commitment to implement the initiative. "This is the...