Vol 63 No 6 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICRUSSIA UN clashes with Wagner worsen 8th March 2022 Moscow's surrogates are undermining the international peacekeepers but diplomats hope a new UN mission chief can stabilise the operation The Russian-inspired detention of four French soldiers in February at Bangui airport, and the imminent departure of Mankeur Ndiaye, the Senegalese head of the UN's mission to Centr...
Vol 63 No 4 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Prime Minister quits as funding crisis deepens 15th February 2022 The government is running out of cash – paying the Russians is proving tricky, EU and French aid has stopped, and the IMF and World Bank are sceptical Amid suspicions that Russia is trying to engineer an alliance between its friends in Bangui and leaders of the military junta in Sudan, the problems in President Faustin Archange T...
Vol 63 No 2 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICMALI War dogs' old tricks 20th January 2022 Mali can learn what to expect from Russian mercenaries by looking at their playbook from the Central African Republic As Russian mercenaries deploy to Mali to combat Islamist insurgents, the country can expect to be forced to pay an escalating bill, on top of seeing the operatives take over valuab...
Vol 63 No 1 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICAFRICA IN 2022 Choosing Moscow 7th January 2022 Support from Russia will allow Touadéra to suppress opposition and avoid conciliation with rebels The disputed elections last year that gave an opportunity to mercenaries from Russia's state-linked Wagner Group to assert their influence on politics in the Central African Republ...
Vol 62 No 19 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Moscow tilt poses risks 17th September 2021 The president increasingly relies on Russia but it may not be able to protect him against a possible cut in funds over human rights abuses and aid theft President Faustin-Archange Touadéra is doubling down on his dependence on all things Russian – from cyberwar to propaganda, to Wagner Group mercenaries, and even the d...
Vol 62 No 15 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC France and Russia tussle in Bangui 19th July 2021 President Touadéra is keeping Moscow on-side in spite of Paris's unease After a very public spat with France, Central African Republic's President Faustin Archange Touadéra is keeping Russia – a rival of the former colonial power in the re...
Vol 62 No 11 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Touadéra tilts to Moscow, losing Western backing 19th May 2021 After tainted elections, the President starts his second term by cracking down on journalists and fending off accusations of abuses by his Russian allies Relations between President Faustin Archange Touadéra and his former Western backers in Paris and Washington are deteriorating fast over the government's lack of accountabil...
Vol 62 No 2 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Victory under a cloud 21st January 2021 The President’s poll win is confirmed, but clashes with rebels in the capital signal a new security crisis After hearing petitions from opposition candidates against the presidential election win of Faustin Archange Touadéra in the December election, the Constitutional Court formally co...
Vol 62 No 1 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICRWANDARUSSIA Elections crisis escalates as Russian and Rwandan troops fly in 23rd December 2020 Facing a coalition of rebel militias opposed to his government and the elections, President Touadéra has called for help from Moscow and Kigali, sidelining the UN Presidential and parliamentary elections due on 27 December are in the balance as a coalition of militias tries to oust President Faustin Archange Touadéra, replacing him with ex-P...
Vol 61 No 24 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Pre-election jitters 3rd December 2020 The funeral of Maryse, the late wife of Jean-Serge Bokassa, son of the former Central African Republic 'Emperor' Jean-Bedel Bokassa, witnessed a serious incident which disrupted th...