The Malta Independent 2 September 2026, Wednesday
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United Nations chief says child sexual abuse allegations deeply horrifying

Associated Press Saturday, 30 January 2016, 15:24 Last update: about 12 years ago
Ban Ki Moon
Ban Ki Moon

The U.N. secretary-general expresses horror over allegations U.N. peacekeepers and foreign troops sexually abused children in violence-plagued Central African Republic.

In remarks before African leaders, Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. is ashamed and horrified over the damage by peacekeepers who exploited vulnerable people. Ban was addressing an African Union summit Saturday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The U.N. human rights office said Friday that it had turned up six more cases of alleged sexual abuse against children by European troops in Central African Republic. The U.N. also announced new allegations against U.N. peacekeepers from Bangladesh, Congo, Niger and Senegal.

The U.N. said there are likely to be 69 confirmed allegations of sexual abuse in its peacekeeping missions in 2015, including 22 in Central African Republic.

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