Dodoma, Tanzania – (African Boulevard News) – The United Nations recently announced that a unit of 60 peacekeepers from Tanzania is to be repatriated from the Central African Republic following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse. Credible evidence has been put forward by the UN, including reports of rape and sexual abuse of women.
The decision was made after an investigation was conducted by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) into the alleged abuses that took place in 2020 and early 2021 in the country. The OIOS was set up to review the performance of the UN and its organizations and to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by UN staff members.
The UN has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse, which is a violation of the code of conduct for peacekeepers. The Tanzanian peacekeepers were part of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
MINUSCA is a peacekeeping mission that was established in 2014 to protect civilians and support peace and reconciliation in the Central African Republic. The mission is made up of military, police and civilian personnel from several countries, including Tanzania.
The UN and Tanzanian government are taking the allegations seriously and are committed to ensuring justice and accountability. The UN has stated that it will continue to investigate any allegations of misconduct by its staff members and will take appropriate action.
Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Liberata Mulamula, said the Tanzanian government has zero tolerance for any form of sexual exploitation and abuse. “We will take all measures necessary to ensure that our peacekeepers respect the mission’s code of conduct and the Tanzanian government’s values,” she said.
The repatriation of the Tanzanian peacekeepers will affect the work of MINUSCA in the short term. There are currently over 12,000 peacekeepers in the mission, and the repatriation will reduce the number of troops on the ground. However, the UN has assured that it will work to ensure that there is no gap in the mission’s ability to protect civilians and support peace and reconciliation efforts.
The repatriation of the Tanzanian peacekeepers is a reminder that sexual exploitation and abuse is a serious issue in peacekeeping missions. It is important for the UN and its partner countries to take swift action when allegations are made and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
