NEW YORK 

The head of the UN on Wednesday ordered an external investigation into the organization’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse against children by French peacekeeping troops in the Central African Republic.

"The review will examine the treatment of the specific report of abuse in the Central African Republic as well as a broad range of systemic issues related to how the UN responds to serious information of this kind," according to a statement issued in New York.

The move follows the publication of a leaked UN report by The Guardian newspaper in April that documented the alleged sexual exploitation of children as young as 9 years old by French soldiers stationed in the country as part of international peacekeeping efforts.

Instead of taking immediate action over the allegations, the UN suspended the aid worker who disclosed the internal report to French prosecutors, the newspaper said, sparking broad criticism against the world body.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "is deeply disturbed by the allegations of sexual abuse by soldiers in the CAR, as well as allegations of how this was handled by the various parts of the UN system involved", the statement said.

"His intention in setting up this review is to ensure that the United Nations does not fail the victims of sexual abuse, especially when committed by those who are meant to protect them," it added.

The alleged abuses took place in 2014 when the UN mission in the country, MINUSCA, was in the process of being set up.