Central Africa's Touadera eyes donor support

Nine months in office and Central Africa’s President Faustin Touadera still has no army to command or civil service to call on. He still fills in as a university maths lecturer due to a lack of teaching staff.

This week he may just get a lifeline, as donors meet in Brussels to plan a future for his war ravaged country.

“We are working for peace, but peace is fragile, we are in an extremely fragile situation, it is enough for us to return to a difficult situation”, said Faustin Touadera.

Despite the presence of a 12,000-member UN peacekeeping force Touadera’s government has failed to establish control over the entire country.

Efforts to disarm religious militias responsible for thousands of deaths and the displacement of half a million people have failed.

“We do not have a defense and security force, we still have armed groups that have not yet disarmed. We have put in place a disarmament process, of the 14 groups that have been identified, there are eleven who have already responded favorably”

Touadera hopes the Brussels donor conference generates financial support for the Central African Republic.

“Obviously, we are not asking for money like that, but there is a program, there are commitments from the Central African Republic, so we are committed to reform”

Touadera says he hopes to secure pledges worth $1.6 billion over three years and $3 billion over five years and he has been asked to pledge to use the funds appropriately.

AFP