France to replace ambassador in Central African Republic

France has announced it will replace its ambassador to the Central African Republic, just days after sending extra troops to the country ahead of a possible military intervention backed by the United Nations.

France has boosted its military presence in the Central African Republic ahead of a possible UN-backed military intervention. REUTERS/Joe Penney

The French foreign ministry said Serge Mucetti, a career diplomat on his first assignment as ambassador, will be replaced. His successor has not yet been named.

Mucetti was posted to the capital Bangui in early 2012 by then-president Nicolas Sarkozy.

No official reason was given for his dismissal, but an anonymous diplomatic source told news agency AFP the replacement was due to chancing circumstances in the country.

France replaced its ambassador to Mali in March, two months after launching a military operation to drive Islamists from the north of the country.

On Tuesday, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced plans to deploy an extra 1,000 troops to the Central African Republic, which has been political unstable since March, when rebels from the Séléka coalition ousted president François Bozizé. The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, earlier warned the country was on the brink of genocide.

Diplomatic sources said soldiers and military equipment began arriving in Bangui on Thursday.

France tabled a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Monday to reinforce the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA), with the goal of eventually turning it into a UN peacekeeping force.

The resolution calls for new financing for the 2,500-strong MISCA force and for eventually boosting its troop levels to 3,600.

The resolution is due to be voted on early next week.

France already has 410 soldiers stationed in Bangui.