The president of the Central African Republic has conveyed his nation’s intention to foster positive ties with France. This statement comes following a period of strained relations triggered by the CAR‘s growing proximity to Russia.
In an interview, President Faustin Archange Touadera remarked, “We hold no opposition against France.” He further stated, “Recently, I received the newly appointed French ambassador to our country. This signifies the ongoing collaboration between France and the Central African Republic. We aspire to enhance and fortify this collaboration in the best interests of our respective peoples.”
France, the previous colonial authority, intervened militarily in the consistently unstable CAR in 2013, aiming to quell a civil war marked by sectarian divisions. This intervention, coupled with the deployment of UN peacekeepers, paved the way for the 2016 elections, which were won by Touadera.
Despite controversies surrounding his re-election in 2020, and calls for a potential third term, President Touadera refrained from addressing this scenario during the interview. The relationship between France and the CAR began to falter when Touadera enlisted paramilitaries from Russia’s Wagner group in 2018 to aid in the training of his armed forces.
In 2020, as rebel factions advanced towards the capital prior to the elections, additional Russian operatives and Rwandan troops were brought in to support Touadera’s administration. Last December, France withdrew its remaining troops from the CAR due to escalating tensions on social media.
Regarding his alliance with Russia, President Touadera, aged 66, affirmed, “There are no hindrances to the continuation of this partnership, as confirmed by the Russian authorities themselves.” He emphasized, “The Central African Republic seeks to cultivate amicable relationships with all nations willing to collaborate, including France and the Russian Federation.”
Touadera elucidated, “We are currently engaged in diplomatic endeavors to enable our nation to benefit from various forms of potential cooperation.” However, in Africa, the Wagner group has faced allegations from rights organizations and watchdogs for committing atrocities and exploiting mineral resources while supporting fragile governments.
The future of the Wagner group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, was cast into uncertainty following a brief rebellion against Russia’s military leadership in June. Nevertheless, a private security firm affiliated with Wagner disclosed that a fresh contingent of “instructors” was deployed to the CAR ahead of the constitutional referendum on July 30.
The proposed constitution aims to extend the presidential term from five to seven years and eliminate the two-term restriction, thereby removing any legal impediments that would prevent Touadera from pursuing a third tenure in office.
