President Faustin‑Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic is seeking re‑election this Sunday after a decade in office. The presidential vote will be held simultaneously with national, regional and municipal legislative elections. Touadéra, who has led the country since 2016, oversaw a July 2023 referendum that removed presidential term limits, enabling him to run for a third term. He is the favorite among the seven candidates, a position attributed to his substantial resource advantage and the backing of civil servants campaigning on his behalf.
The 68‑year‑old president, a mathematician and former prime minister, rose to power during a civil war. Since independence from France in 1960, the Central African Republic has endured repeated cycles of unrest, leaving most of its 5.5 million citizens in poverty. Under Touadéra, the country has deepened ties with Russia; his government has been accused of trading security for access to gold and other resources. In 2018, the Central African Republic became the first nation in West and Central Africa to hire Russia’s Wagner mercenaries, a move that a think‑tank says has generated over $2.5 billion in African gold for Russia.
Touadéra has launched initiatives to attract investors, including two cryptocurrency projects, though these have raised concerns about exposing state assets to foreign criminal networks. He has also pledged to increase mining revenue under a new code adopted in 2024. Despite these efforts, illegal mining and criminality remain widespread, prompting China to warn its citizens about kidnapping, extortion and slavery risks in the sector.
The president highlights his infrastructure investments, such as adopting bitcoin as legal tender in 2022 and signing a deal to launch Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite‑based internet service. He claims to have improved security nationwide, but analysts caution that these gains are fragile: rebels remain only partially disarmed, and incursions by combatants from neighboring Sudan continue to fuel insecurity. Security is a top concern for voters, many of whom are calling for better roads and lasting peace.
The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission, emphasizing the need for continued support. As the Central African Republic prepares for the election, the international community is watching closely, hoping for a peaceful and stable outcome.
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