PARIS, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- France has halted adoptions of children from the Central African Republic, saying ongoing violence in the country may endanger the children.
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Romain Nadal announced the move Friday, Radio France Internationale reported.
"The current climate in this country, the violence, absence of a state, means the conditions are not right for adoptions in the future," Nadal said.
French families adopted 66 children from the Central African Republic in 2013, up from 42 in 2012.
"Until now they took place in relatively good conditions. But the collapse of government and the widespread violence no longer allows this," Nadal said.
The spokesman said the suspension will only apply to new adoption applications and applications that had been filed previously will be processed as normal.
