At a Glance
Alliances & Memberships
- UN
- AU
- ECCAS
- OIF
Foreign Policy Overview
Heavy dependence on Russia (Wagner/Africa Corps) for security; cut French ties; mineral economy.
Key Positions on Major Issues
Pro-Russia; sovereignty rhetoric; ongoing civil conflict; UN MINUSCA presence.
UN Voting Record Notes
Votes with or abstains on Russia; rare African pro-Russia voter.
Economy & Trade
The CAR economy is heavily reliant on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for over 50% of GDP, and the extraction of timber, diamonds, and gold. The country uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF) and remains highly dependent on foreign aid and multilateral support from the World Bank and IMF. Major export partners include the UAE, France, and China, while imports are dominated by refined petroleum, packaged medicaments, and machinery. Despite vast mineral wealth, the economy suffers from chronic instability, lack of infrastructure, and a significant informal sector.
Military & Security
The Central African Armed Forces (FACA) are currently undergoing training and restructuring, heavily supported by the Russian Federation and the Wagner Group (now Africa Corps) alongside the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA. Defense spending is estimated at approximately 2-3% of GDP, though accurate figures are obscured by bilateral security arrangements. The CAR is under a UN arms embargo, albeit one that has been significantly eased to allow the government to re-arm against non-state rebel groups. The national doctrine focus is on counter-insurgency and territorial integrity against the 'Coalition of Patriots for Change' (CPC).
Recent History
Following decades of coups, the 2013 Séléka rebellion led to a total state collapse, triggering the intervention of the MISCA and later the UN's MINUSCA mission. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 amid a major offensive by the CPC rebel coalition which failed to take the capital, Bangui. Since 2018, CAR has pivotally shifted its security reliance from France to Russia, leading to cooled relations with Western powers. The 2019 Khartoum Peace Agreement remains the nominal framework for reconciliation, though violence persists in provincial areas. A 2023 constitutional referendum removed presidential term limits, consolidating Touadéra's power. CAR remains one of the world's poorest nations, facing a perpetual humanitarian crisis with high internal displacement.
International Memberships
- African Union (AU)since 1960 (as OAU)
Founding member; central to CAR's involvement in regional peacekeeping and political mediation.
- CEMAC (Central African Economic and Monetary Community)since 1994 (successor to UDEAC)
Primary regional economic and monetary integration body.
- United Nations (UN)since 1960
Host to MINUSCA, the stabilizing peacekeeping mission crucial for state survival.
- ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States)since 1983
Economic cooperation and common market for Central African states.
MUN Negotiation Profile
Non-Aligned Movement / Pro-Russia leaning (Strategic Partnership)
Pragmatic, sovereignty-focused, and increasingly assertive in demanding the removal of colonial-era influence (Francafrique).
- Any reduction in current UN peacekeeping (MINUSCA) mandates without equivalent increases in state military capacity.
- Interference in bilateral security arrangements, specifically with the Russian Federation.
- Sanctions that target state officials or hinder the export of diamonds (Kimberley Process restrictions).
- "The need for total lifting of the UN arms embargo to allow the national army to secure the entire territory."
- "Demand for debt relief and unconditional infrastructure investment from international financial institutions."
- "Emphasis on the link between illegal natural resource extraction by rebel groups and perpetual regional conflict."