Crisis in the Central African Republic
July 8, 2021
Crisis in the Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) remains beset by
Figure 1. CAR at a Glance
violence and humanitarian suffering despite international
stabilization efforts, two national elections, and multiple
peace processes over the past decade. Growing Russian
involvement in CAR’s defense and mining sectors has
raised U.S. policy concerns as a potential model for Russian
penetration in Africa. U.N. agencies reported in mid-2021
that 2.8 million people in CAR (over 50%) required
humanitarian assistance and over 700,000 were internally
displaced, while nearly 700,000 more were refugees in
nearby countries. These figures have increased in recent
months. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic has brought new health and economic challenges,
though CAR has identified (and tested) fewer cases than
many other countries.
President Faustin Archange Touadéra was reelected to a
second, five-year term in December 2020. He has since
Source: CRS graphic. Data from CIA World Factbook, IMF.
overseen a rapid offensive in which the national military
(known as the FACA), backed by Russian security
Background and Context
contractors, has reclaimed parts of central, eastern, and
CAR has experienced several conflicts since the 1990s. In
northern CAR for the first time since 2013, when northern
2013, a rebel movement known as the Seleka (“coalition”)
rebel groups temporarily captured the capital, Bangui. This
ousted then-President Bozizé, who had seized power by
represents a seismic shift after years in which the central
force a decade earlier. A chaotic period of state collapse
state and FACA had a minimal presence outside Bangui
ensued. Widespread violence against and among civilians
and a few areas in the west and south. In question is
often played out along ethnic and sectarian identity lines.
whether military gains are sustainable and likely to result in
CAR’s population was reportedly about 85% Christian or
greater security for beleaguered local populations. U.N.
animist and 15% Muslim at the time; the Seleka was led by
officials have accused FACA and Russian personnel of
Muslim combatants from the northeast with ties to Sudan
abusing civilians and harassing U.N. staff. Armed groups
and Chad and drew support from local communities often
reportedly retain a presence in rural areas along with some
portrayed by others in CAR as foreign and thus illegitimate.
control over lucrative economic interests, such as mines and
Aided by Bozizé, Christian- and animist-led “anti-balaka”
routes used for trade and cattle herding.
(“anti-machete” or “anti-bullet”) militias formed to fight the
Seleka and ultimately targeted Muslims in general. Anti-
President Touadéra launched the offensive after rebel
balaka attacks in 2013-2014 forced much of the Muslim
groups formed a new alliance known as the “Coalition of
population either to shelter in precarious enclaves or flee, a
Patriots for Change” (CPC) and laid siege to Bangui,
pattern that U.N. experts deemed “ethnic cleansing.”
cutting off key supply routes and threatening to attack the
city. Spearheaded by deposed former President François
The establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping operation in
Bozizé, the CPC included several armed factions that had
2014 and subsequent elections led to the inauguration of
signed CAR’s latest peace accord, the 2019 African Union
President Touadéra, a mathematician and former prime
(AU)-brokered Khartoum Agreement. Underscoring the
minister under Bozizé, in 2016. These steps helped stabilize
shifting and opportunistic dynamics of recent conflicts in
the central government in Bangui; elsewhere in the country,
CAR, several CPC faction leaders participated in the 2012-
ex-Seleka and anti-balaka factions continued to target
2013 rebellion that ousted Bozizé from office.
civilians and each other. U.N. peacekeepers, the European
Union, Russia, and the United States have provided support
The CPC emerged during election preparations in late 2020,
to the FACA, but state security forces generally remain
during which CAR’s constitutional court barred Bozizé
weak and dogged by a history of abuses and militia
from running, citing U.N. sanctions and a CAR arrest
infiltration. Competition over mineral resources, cattle
warrant. Violence, alleged irregularities, and low turnout
migration routes, and trade has fueled the conflict.
marred the election; opposition parties objected to results
and withdrew from run-off legislative polls in 2021.
The 2019 Khartoum Agreement mandates a unity
President Touadéra has pledged dialogue with rebels and
government, political decentralization, and mixed security
political opponents, with few concrete results. Past peace
units comprising state security forces and former rebels.
talks have granted amnesty and state posts to belligerents,
Implementation has been uneven at best. Rebel alliances
arguably incentivizing CAR’s cyclical conflicts.
have repeatedly shifted as groups seek to gain leverage in
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Crisis in the Central African Republic
talks and advance their economic interests. Few if any
in CAR. In June 2021, France announced it would suspend
drivers of grassroots-level conflict have been addressed.
its military cooperation and some budget support for CAR
due to concerns about Russian influence and other factors.
The U.N. Security Council has maintained an arms
embargo and sanctions regime since 2013 but has loosened
Economy
constraints on arms transfers to the government in recent
CAR ranked 188th out of 189 countries (worst) on the 2020
years. CAR officials have called for the embargo to be fully
U.N. Human Development Index. Agriculture, forestry, and
lifted. Since 2018, the Council has authorized U.N.
mining are core economic sectors. The economy collapsed
peacekeepers to provide logistical support for the FACA’s
with the onset of violence in 2013 and subsequent flight of
“progressive redeployment” through CAR’s territory.
much of the Muslim population, whose members had
The State Department’s 20
played a prominent role in markets and trade. Growth
20 human rights report on CAR
recovered after a transitional government was established in
cites extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture by
2014, but not enough to alleviate poverty, while
state security forces; “life-threatening” prison conditions;
displacement and ongoing violence continued to hinder
use of child soldiers; and other serious abuses—along with
a “climate of impunity
wellbeing. The International Monetary Fund estimates that
.” A Special Criminal Court (SCC)
growth was flat in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
staffed by local and international experts is tasked with
prosecuting serious crimes, but cases have been slow to
Legal diamond exports formally resumed in 2015 from
progress. The International Criminal Court also has initiated
areas in the southwest designated by the Kimberley
several prosecutions related to CAR in recent years.
Process, an international initiative aimed at preventing
U.N. Peacekeeping Operation
diamonds that may finance rebel groups from entering
global trade. Diamonds reportedly continue to be exported
The U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization
illicitly from other areas, including those controlled by
Mission in CAR (MINUSCA) is mandated to protect
armed groups in the northeast. Gold and other resources are
civilians, assist the peace process, protect aid delivery,
also reported sources of armed group financing.
support the extension of state authority, and, under certain
conditions, “to arrest and detain in order to maintain basic
U.S. Policy and Aid
law and order and fight impunity,” among other tasks. In
According to the State Department, U.S. policy toward
early 2021, the U.N. Security Council increased its
CAR seeks to improve stability and security, promote
authorized military troop ceiling by 2,750 (to 14,400 total)
economic growth and development, and strengthen
and its police component by 940 (to 3,020). (The U.S. vote
institutions. U.S. officials have also signaled growing
in favor required prior notification to Congress.) Force
concerns with Russian influence. The United States is the
protection, logistical capacity, and adequate equipment
top country donor of humanitarian aid for CAR, allocating
remain key challenges. Repeated sexual abuse and
$177 million in FY2020 and $60 million in FY2021 to date.
exploitation scandals also have likely harmed the mission’s
The United States also is the largest contributor to
relations with local communities. MINUSCA’s mandate is
MINUSCA’s budget (as with all U.N. peacekeeping
up for renewal in November 2021.
operations), allocating $281 million in FY2020.
Russian Presence
Separate U.S. bilateral foreign aid for CAR totaled $21
Russia’s involvement in CAR appears to have both
million in FY2020 appropriations, of which more than half
financial and geostrategic motivations. The Commander of
was for security assistance (primarily for military capacity-
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) testified to Congress in
building and security sector reform). The Biden
early 2021 that, “Russia is testing its playbook for malign
Administration has requested $14 million for CAR in
activity” in CAR, “where they are employing PMCs
FY2022, proposing to reduce some military and rule-of-law
[private military contractors], extracting minerals, and
aid. Via recent foreign aid appropriations measures,
buying influence.” Russian military “instructors” first
Congress has directed aid funds to support the SCC, the
deployed to CAR in 2017 after securing an exemption
FACA, and disarmament and early-warning initiatives in
under the U.N. arms embargo. Most are reportedly PMCs
areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a
employed by the U.S.-sanctioned Wagner Group and other
small Ugandan-origin armed group responsible for
firms. In mid-2021, media reports indicated that the number
atrocities in the region. U.S. aid programs have also
of Russian personnel had ballooned to 2,300 from the initial
supported atrocity prevention and conflict mitigation,
175 reported by U.N. sanctions monitors on CAR.
economic livelihoods, and environmental conservation.
In addition to military trainers and advisors, Russian
The United States has imposed sanctions on 17 individuals
nationals reportedly serve in President Touadéra’s security
and three entities under Executive Order 13667 (2014)
detail, as his national security advisor, and as advisors to
pertaining to CAR, including former presidents Bozizé and
the national customs service. Russian mining firms are also
Michel Djotodia, rebel commander Noureddine Adam, anti-
active in the country. In March 2021, U.N. human rights
balaka coordinator Eugène Ngaïkosset, and the LRA and its
experts expressed alarm at apparent coordination between
leader Joseph Kony. U.S. designations are more extensive
foreign PMCs and some U.N. peacekeepers in CAR. Three
than those imposed by the U.N. sanctions committee on
Russian investigative journalists were killed in CAR in
CAR. The Trump Administration made additional CAR-
2018 while probing Russian PMC activities.
linked designations under executive orders tied to Russia.
Russia’s growing weight, bolstered by apparent
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
disinformation campaigns, particularly threatens the
interests of former colonial power France, long a key player
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Crisis in the Central African Republic
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