Central African Republic: Peacekeeping Operations

(asked on 19th November 2018) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA in protecting civilian security, life, and rights in the Central African Republic, and what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) troop levels, (b) resourcing levels, and (c) the temporary nature of the mandate, in determining that level of efficacy in the last 12 months.


Answered by
Harriett Baldwin Portrait
Harriett Baldwin
This question was answered on 26th November 2018

​The UK commends MINUSCA's efforts to respond to, and stop, the violence and uphold its mandate to protect civilians. In order to achieve peace in the Central African Republic, efforts to stabilise the country in the short term must go hand in hand with longer-term progress on reconciliation, justice, and peace-building.

We are committed to working within the UN Security Council to ensure that MINUSCA can deliver support to the AU Peace Initiative as part of its mandate.

As part of the latest mandate renewal process, the UN Secretary General recommended maintaining the mission's current troop ceiling. The UN General Assembly agreed a gross budget of US$930 million for MINUSCA for the current UN peacekeeping financial year. The UK contributes 5.8 per cent, which for the last UK financial year amounted to £40.5 million.

Separately, I am aware of the death of a Tanzanian soldier on 16 November, serving with MINUSCA forces in CAR. I have passed on my condolences to the government of Tanzania.

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