CAR: Are the seeds of the crisis still there, ten years after the fall of François Bozizé?

2023-03-24T13:36:55.527Z

Economic and budgetary difficulties, insecurity, accusations of bad governance, and the desire for a third presidential term: the ingredients of the fall of François Bozizé, president of the...CAR: Are the seeds of the crisis still there, ten years after the fall of François Bozizé? Former Central African President François Bozizé in office on 8 January 2013 in Bangui. AFP/Sia Kambou Text by: RFI Follow 2 min Economic and budgetary difficulties, insecurity, accusations of bad governance, and plans for a third presidential term: are the ingredients of the fall of François Bozizé, preside

CAR: Are the seeds of the crisis still there, ten years after the fall of François Bozizé?

Former Central African President François Bozizé in office on 8 January 2013 in Bangui. AFP/Sia Kambou

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Economic and budgetary difficulties, insecurity, accusations of bad governance, and plans for a third presidential term: are the ingredients of the fall of François Bozizé, president of the Central African Republic (CAR) from 2003 to 2013, still relevant ten years later in CAR?

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Just 10 years ago, the Seleka rebellion overthrew François Bozizé and took power in the Central African Republic. The end of several years of conflict, but also the beginning of a new cycle of violence whose consequences continue to be felt today. In Bangui, many believe that the ingredients of the 2012-2013 crisis are still present today.

► Read also Central African Republic: ten years ago, the Seleka rebellion overthrew François Bozizé

Civil society and opponents of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra do not hesitate to draw parallels. Economic and budgetary difficulties, insecurity, accusations of bad governance, and the desire for a third presidential term: the causes of the fall of François Bozizé, as before him of Ange-Félix Patassé, are still there, according to the former transitional Prime Minister in 2013, Nicolas Tiangaye.

No, the causes have not changed, says the one who had witnessed the disintegration of the State, at the microphone of François Mazet. This stubbornness, this refusal to take into account the deep aspirations of the population and to do as it pleases by predation and then by serious violations of human rights. It is all this that contributes to creating instability whose consequences we do not yet measure."

"I am convinced that the lessons have been learned"

The country's current leaders reject fears for stability. They believe that they are fed from outside. MP Mathurin Dimbelet-Nakoé is one of the leaders of the presidential majority in the National Assembly. "I personally think that the international community should rather support the government's efforts to put an end to this kind of thing once and for all," he says. I am convinced that the lessons have been learned because today, concerning the initial reasons mentioned on the development of the regions, they are being developed: there is a road, we are building new schools. All Central Africans agree now, we must turn the page on the rebellion and get to work resolutely."

In an attempt to turn the page, several political agreements have been signed. The one in Khartoum in 2019 is still a reference for the government. But for its opponents, it has never worked and the rebel groups that found themselves in the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) in 2020 continue to carry out attacks in large swathes of the territory.

CAR: Are the seeds of the crisis still there, ten years after the fall of François Bozizé?

CAR: Are the seeds of the crisis still there, ten years after the fall of François Bozizé?

"I am convinced that the lessons have been learned"

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