The recent sentencing of militia members in the Central African Republic for the 2017 killing of civilians and peacekeepers, has sent a strong message that impunity will not be tolerated.

That’s the assessment of Lieutenant General Balla Keïta of Senegal, outgoing Force Commander at the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country, known by the French acronym MINUSCA.MWELLS

During a recent visit to New York, he spoke to Dianne Penn about the verdict, the impact of a peace agreement signed last year between the Government and 14 armed groups, and growing international support for the UN’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative.

But first, Lieutenant General Keïta – who has 45 years of military and peacekeeping experience, including in Darfur –  explained what motivated him to serve with the UN.