The Head of the UN Mission to the country had discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister.

General Babacar Gaye, the Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), has called on the citizens to sink their divergences, stating that the international force cannot solve the crisis in the country without national reconciliation.  He spoke in the capital Bangui Monday, October 13 after discussions with the Foreign Affairs Minister Toussaint Kongo Doudou. Their discussions focused on the wave of sectarian attacks that paralysed the capital up to last weekend.

Talking to reporters at the moment some parts of the capital city were still barricaded, the UN senior official reportedly said that the barricades will certainly be cleared and armed people disarmed but that was not enough. He said the greatest problem of the country was reconciliation, cohabitation between the different communities and that of the rise of elite and the population to put the country back on the rails. “The people of the Central African Republic are the ones to do that,” General Babacar Gaye said.

The UN, he said was in the country to accompany the authorities in the peace and security process, the official said but stated that there is generalized insecurity with the UN peacekeepers feeling unsecured as they are being fired at. Reports said that three UN peacekeepers were killed in last week’s violence. The violence that started on October 7 led to the killing of at least 10 people, many others wounded and thousands displaced. At the time of going to press there was timid calm reported in the capital Bangui. Prime Minister Mahamat Kamoun on Sunday, October 12 called on the population to return to their normal daily activities.