Unanimous vote paves the way for reinforcement of French and African troops trying to quell sectarian fighting. (
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/29/central-african-republic-security-council-eu-force?CMP=twt_gu)
Associated Press in New York
The United Nations security council has unanimously authorised the deployment of a European Union force to the Central African Republic to bolster French and African troops who are trying to quell sectarian violence that the UN has warned could escalate into genocide.
A security council resolution also orders member states to freeze all funds, financial assets and economic resources that are owned or controlled by individuals who violate the arms embargo, commit abuses from rape to child soldier recruitment, undermine peace and stability or obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The French ambassador, Gerard Araud, said EU troops would be deployed to guard the airport in the capital, Bangui, where 100,000 people have taken refuge, mostly living on the tarmac. Araud said that would free up French troops to move beyond the airport and take up security operations in Bangui and beyond.
The EU mission is likely to comprise 500 to 600 troops. It remains unclear which countries will contribute. Thomas Mayr-Harting, the head of the EU delegation to the UN, said the forces would be on the ground in CAR within weeks but he could not provide a specific time frame.
"We are starting to stabilise the situation but it's still very fragile," Araud said. "We really need the arrival of the European forces."
France has sent 1,600 troops to bolster 4,600 overwhelmed African peacekeepers. Few of the reinforcements have reached hot spots further north.
More than 1,000 people have been killed and nearly 1 million forced from their homes since December in violence involving Christians and Muslims, militias and civilians.
The mostly Muslim rebels, known as Seleka, came from the country's far north in March 2013 to overthrow the president. The situation has stabilised somewhat since the rebel-turned-president Michel Djotodia surrendered power amid mounting international condemnation of his inability to stop sectarian bloodshed. A new interim civilian government has pledged to halt the violence and attempt to organise elections by February 2015.
On Tuesday thousands of jubilant residents took to the streets of Bangui to celebrate after peacekeepers escorted dozens more of the rebels from military bases. But sectarian tensions remain high and the UN has warned that the exodus of the Seleka has left Muslim civilians vulnerable to retaliatory attacks by Christian militiamen.
EU foreign ministers approved the deployment of a joint military force to CAR last week. The security council on Tuesday approved the mission for an initial mandate of six months and authorised it to use force.
On Monday a World Food Programme convoy escorted by African peacekeepers confronted frequent improvised checkpoints set up by armed groups during its journey from the Cameroon border to Bangui. The WFP said 41 food trucks were left stranded at the border and more escorts were needed.
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