Mogadishu to Haiti: UN hit by fresh sex misconduct claims

The United Nations is once again facing renewed scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct within its ranks, with fresh concerns emerging from Somalia at a time when broader questions about accountability in UN missions continue to resurface globally.

 At the centre of the latest controversy are reports that five  UN personnel were repatriated from Somalia following misconduct allegations, including claims that they brought sex workers into a UN compound in Mogadishu. The UN has acknowledged the incident and confirmed that internal action was taken, but the matter has reignited debate over whether the organisation can effectively police itself in complex mission environments.

 Under-Secretary-General Christian Saunders, who leads the UN’s efforts to prevent and address sexual exploitation and abuse, has moved to clarify that his recent visit to Somalia was not connected to any specific case. “My visit to Somalia was not related to any specific incident,” he said, stressing that the trip formed part of broader, pre-planned efforts to strengthen the UN’s global response to misconduct.

 He explained that his mandate focuses on both prevention and accountability. “My role is to help the UN prevent sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure that when it does happen, our response is swift, effective and puts the rights and dignity of victims first,” he said.

 During the visit, Saunders said he held consultations with UN leadership and personnel, civil society organisations, implementing partners and government authorities, including the Federal Government of Somalia. “During my visit, I engaged with UN personnel and leadership, civil society, our implementing partners and regional, national and state-level authorities… to determine how we can make our response to sexual exploitation and abuse more effective,” he said, adding that such partnerships are essential in tackling abuse.

 Investigations ongoing

 While confirming that an incident had occurred late last year, Saunders declined to go into detail, citing an ongoing investigation. “You are correct that there was an incident at the end of last year but I cannot go into details at this point as it might prejudice the ongoing investigation,” he said. He added that once the matter was reported, the UN acted immediately, launching an investigation and introducing additional safeguards. “As soon as the incident came to the attention of the UN’s leadership in Somalia, they took action,” he said.

 According to the UN mission in Somalia, the individuals involved included two contract personnel, two volunteers and one staff member, all of whom have since been removed from the mission area pending investigation. The UN also clarified that no personnel were expelled by the Somali government in connection with the allegations.

 However, the Somalia case has once again drawn attention to longstanding concerns about misconduct in UN operations and the perception of weak accountability mechanisms.

 Somalia has, over the years, witnessed repeated allegations involving international personnel, ranging from claims of inappropriate behaviour and curfew violations to reports of late-night parties and fraternisation. Although many of these allegations remain unproven, they continue to fuel concerns within diplomatic and local circles about standards of conduct in international missions.

 More contentious are claims that two UN-linked individuals, a British military officer and a senior official within the Resident Coordinator’s office—were expelled by Somali authorities over alleged immoral conduct. The UN has rejected these claims. “To the best of my knowledge no UN personnel have been asked to leave by the Somali government for immoral behaviour or breaking the law,” Saunders said.

 Critics, however, point to what they describe as a persistent lack of transparency in how such cases are handled. While investigations are conducted internally and some outcomes published, detailed findings are rarely made public. In addition, personnel serving in UN missions are generally subject to the legal jurisdiction of their home countries rather than host states, a structure critics say creates accountability gaps.

 The broader concern extends beyond Somalia. In Haiti, allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers have persisted for more than a decade, including claims involving transactional sex, abuse of minors, and children fathered by personnel during missions. More recently, reports citing the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that four cases of sexual exploitation and abuse involving members of a multinational support mission were documented in 2025.

 Kenyan officers serving in UN-backed missions, including in Haiti, have also faced occasional scrutiny. While the majority of personnel are said to serve with professionalism, isolated allegations have raised concerns about reputational risks for contributing countries.

 The UN acknowledges that sexual exploitation and abuse remains a long-standing challenge. Since reforms introduced in 2017 under Secretary-General António Guterres, the organisation says it has strengthened its victim-centred approach, improved reporting mechanisms, and reinforced accountability structures.

 Structural inequalities

 “It recognised that we have a responsibility to prioritise the needs of victims and to help them put their lives back together,” Saunders said, pointing to psychosocial, medical and legal support systems for survivors.

 He also emphasised that the problem is rooted in structural inequalities. “Sexual exploitation and abuse is rooted in inequality and the abuse of power,” he said, noting that risks are particularly high in conflict and post-conflict environments where UN missions operate.

 Despite these reforms, challenges remain. While the UN can investigate and repatriate personnel, prosecution depends on member states, and outcomes are often not publicly disclosed, leaving what critics describe as a gap between accountability in principle and accountability in practice.

 Saunders insists that progress continues to be made, including stronger vetting processes to prevent individuals with prior misconduct from being deployed, as well as expanded reporting channels for affected communities.

 However, he concedes that the issue is far from resolved. “As long as the underlying drivers exist, cases will continue to occur,” he said.

 The UN maintains that sexual exploitation and abuse has no place within its operations. Yet as new allegations emerge alongside old unresolved concerns, the organisation once again finds itself under pressure to prove that its commitment to accountability is more than just policy on paper.