Ban Ki-moon sacks UN peacekeeping chief in CAR over sex abuse claims

The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon has fired Babacar Gaye, head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday August 12 after multiple sex abuse allegations against peacekeeping troops.

Ban told reporters at the global body's headquarters in New York,'' Babacar Gaye of Senegal tendered his resignation at my request."  He added ''I cannot put into words how anguished and angered and ashamed I am by recurrent reports over the years of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN forces. When the United Nations deploys peacekeepers, we do so to protect the world's most vulnerable people in the world's most desperate places. I will not tolerate any action by people who replace trust with fear. Enough is enough."

The decision came after fresh accusations that a peacekeeper from the MINUSCA force had raped a 12-year-old girl.

Gaye, 64, was appointed as the first head of the 12,000-strong MINUSCA force and Ban's special envoy in the Central African Republic in July of last year.