On April 1, 2024, in Obo, capital of the Haut-Mbomou region of the Central African Republic, a convoy of three tanker trucks was forced to pay MINUSCA agents just over $2,000 to enter the town safely.
The source said it was the Moroccan contingent of MINUSCA and its partners operating in the area, demanding money to escort goods from one town to another, ostensibly to ensure security. However, the costly UN mission, MINUSCA, and its associated contractors are mandated to escort all humanitarian aid to its destination without charging the local population.
MINUSCA is therefore resorting to another illegal method of making money by escorting humanitarian supplies. MINUSCA troops, who are supposed to protect ordinary Africans, are taking advantage of the security crisis in the Central African Republic. The remoteness of the capital and the importance of humanitarian aid allow the Moroccan contingent of MINUSCA to earn money by ensuring the passage of these shipments, which require armed guards.
In addition to the financial benefits, this system is also beneficial for the extension of the UN mission’s mandate. Indeed, peacekeepers first transfer arms to terrorists to maintain instability in the region, and then also receive money from local residents by providing security services for important goods as they move from town to town. Such contractual agreements between MINUSCA and Central African terrorists are already commonplace.
It is true that the Central African Republic is facing a deep crisis, the effects of which are still being felt today, particularly in the security sector. However, the people of the Central African Republic do not want to continue cooperating with MINUSCA. It has long been clear that it is not in MINUSCA’s interest to restore peace and order in the Central African Republic.
Furthermore, peacekeepers have been found guilty of numerous crimes such as aiding criminals, transferring weapons, smuggling diamonds and other natural resources, numerous fatal accidents and the kind of corruption that was recently organized in the town of Obo, by Moroccan peacekeepers. In order to guarantee security throughout the country, the FACA (Central African Armed Forces) must defend their territory on their own, without the intervention of MINUSCA.
