case involving Tahoe Resources’ Guatemalan mine could go ahead. LEGAL, CONSTITUTIONAL OR INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS In February, a 2007 policy limiting government efforts to seek clemency on behalf of Canadians sentenced to death in foreign countries was reversed. In March, the UN CESCR called on Canada to recognize that economic, social and cultural rights are fully justiciable. In April, the government approved a Can$15 billion sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia despite human rights concerns. A 2015 commitment to accede to the UN Arms Trade Treaty was not met. In May, the government announced plans to accede to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and launched consultations with provincial and territorial governments. Also in May, the government introduced legislation to add gender identity and expression as a prohibited ground of discrimination in Canada’s Human Rights Act and Criminal Code hate crime laws. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Central African Republic Head of state: Faustin-Archange Touadéra (replaced Catherine Samba-Panza in March) Head of government: Simplice Sarandji (replaced Mahamat Kamoun in April) Conflict between and within armed groups and militias, as well as between international peacekeepers and these groups, continued and involved serious human rights abuses, including crimes under international law. Impunity persisted for those suspected of abuses and crimes under international law. More than 434,000 people were internally displaced and living in harsh conditions, and at least 2.3 million Amnesty International Report 2016/17 people depended on humanitarian assistance. Allegations of sexual abuse by international peacekeepers continued to be reported. BACKGROUND From June onwards, after a period of relative calm, conflict between armed groups and attacks on civilians increased. The conflict, which began in 2013 with the ousting of President François Bozizé, claimed thousands of lives. Armed groups, particularly ex-Seleka and Anti-balaka forces, continued to control large swathes of the country, facilitated by mass circulation of small arms. Elections were held to replace the transitional government and on 11 April a new government was formed. Some 12,870 uniformed personnel were deployed as part of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), whose mandate was renewed until 15 November 2017. Following criticism of MINUSCA’s capacity to respond to attacks, its forces were strengthened.1 However, it continued to have limited ability to protect civilians, given the vast size of the Central African Republic (CAR) and the significant presence of armed groups and militias. French forces, deployed under Operation Sangaris, were almost completely withdrawn in October. In October, the CAR acceded without reservation to the UN Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol; the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; the Optional Protocol to CEDAW; and the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR. However, the CAR authorities did not recognize the competence of the relevant treaty bodies. A major CAR donors’ conference was held in Brussels on 17 November. The CAR National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan 2017-2021 was presented to donors and requested $105 million over five years to support measures to both strengthen the 111