The 12,000-strong force will begin deploying on September 15, 2014.

After months of horse-trading, the United Nations Security Council yesterday, April 10, 2014, voted to send peacekeepers to the Central African Republic, CAR, to end sectarian violence that has left thousands dead and displaced.  

The resolution was based on a French proposal to send 10,000 soldiers and 1,800 policemen to form the UN Integrated Mission for the Stabilisation of CAR, MINUSCA, agency reports said. The new troops, whose deployment is not expected before September 15, 2014, will join 6,000 African Union-led MISCA, 2,000 French ‘Opération Sangaris’ and about 800 European Union peacekeepers to restore peace and stability in the beleaguered country. By this decision, MISCA troops will become UN peacekeepers.

The resolution authorises the peacekeepers to protect civilians and aid convoys, support the political transition process, and ensure security and the respect of human rights. It will be one of the largest UN missions with an estimated annual budget of between 500 million Dollars (about FCFA 237 billion) and 800 million Dollars (about FCFA 378 billion). There will also be a large civilian component comprising administrators, engineers and legal experts to help with the organization of general elections which the UN Security Council said should hold by February 2015.

Meanwhile, the first European Union troops, EUFOR-RCA, were deployed in the capital, Bangui, on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. The 55 gendarmes that began patrolling some streets will also help train local gendarmes. The announcement of the imminent deployment of UN peacekeepers comes at a time of heightened insecurity in the country. A clash earlier this week between defunct Séléka and anti-Balaka militiamen in the northern town of Dekoa reportedly left at least 25 people, the BBC said.

CAR exploded into violence in early December 2013 amid mounting resentment toward the largely Moslem Séléka rebels that seized power in March 2013. President Michel Djotodia had little control over his forces who were blamed for raping, torturing and killing civilians, particularly among the country's Christian majority. Once Djotodia was obliged to resign last January by sub-regional leaders over alleged lack of progress in the transition timetable, anti-Balaka Christian militia began attacking Moslem civilians in retaliation, prompting tens of thousands to flee the country and leaving an untold number dead.