At a key UN Security Council session on Tuesday, a representative of the US Mission to the United Nations addressed the alarming allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving South African troops within the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
The United States requested a robust response, urging the Secretary-General to enforce the zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, echoing Security Council resolution 2272 (2016).
On Monday, an official of the US Mission to the UN stated, “The United States is aware of the recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by South African troops in MONUSCO from the UN’s public reporting. The United States takes sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers very seriously, and we call on the Secretary-General to enforce the zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, and Security Council resolution 2272 (2016), in the UN’s response to these allegations.” Further explaining the US stance, “We also call on South Africa to uphold its obligations to thoroughly investigate these allegations, and take appropriate action.”
During the Security Council’s discussion on the DRC situation, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and other key figures briefed members. Mr Lacroix highlighted the UN’s decision to repatriate nine contingent members and one senior military officer, replacing two other senior officers. He emphasized the UN’s zero-tolerance policy and commitment to peacekeeper accountability.
Earlier, on 13 October, the UN publicly disclosed serious misconduct allegations against members of the South African military contingent in MONUSCO, and published a separate statement two days prior, stressing “The Office of Internal Oversight Services has been seized of the matter and precautionary measures have already been initiated in line with the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of misconduct.”
A preliminary assessment revealed that nine members were fraternizing after curfew at prohibited locations known for transactional sex, assaulting MONUSCO staff and military police personnel during detainment attempts.
The identified contingent members were detained, with a senior South African military officer attempting to obstruct the investigation. In response to the gravity of the allegations and command failures, the UN decided to immediately repatriate the nine members and one senior officer, requesting the replacement of two other senior officers.
MONUSCO remains committed to upholding UN standards of conduct and vigorously enforcing the Secretary-General’s policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse.
In June, the UN decided to send back 60 Tanzanian peacekeepers from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) after an initial inquiry uncovered credible evidence of 11 members from a Tanzanian unit, stationed in western CAR, allegedly involved in sexual exploitation and abuse. This move aligns with the UN’s zero-tolerance policy. A similar repatriation occurred in September 2021 involving a Gabonese MINUSCA contingent facing analogous allegations. Concerning the charges against the South African contingent in MONUSCO, the South African Department of Defence, unaware of the accusations initially, acknowledged their seriousness on 15 October. Subsequently, the South African National Defence Forces recalled the implicated soldiers and dispatched investigators to the DRC for a formal inquiry.
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Previously, in March 2016, the UN adopted resolution 2272, which addressed sexual exploitation and abuse in peace operations. The resolution endorsed “the decision of the Secretary-General to repatriate a particular military unit or formed police unit of a contingent when there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual exploitation and abuse by that unit.” It is, therefore, not unusual that in Security Council discourse on mission-specific contexts, the US makes reference to this resolution 2272, calling for its full implementation to respond to such allegations and to advance accountability.
As of December 2022, South Africa, a longstanding contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts since 1999, has 1,184 peacekeepers serving, including contributions to UNISFA and UNMISS.
Pearl Matibe is a Washington, DC-based White House Correspondent, and media commentator with expertise in U.S. foreign policy and international security. You may follow her on Twitter: @PearlMatibe
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