French FM and UN peacekeeping chief discuss CAR peace initiatives

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Bangui on Thursday for the first high-level French visit to the Central African Republic in seven years, seeking to rebuild ties with the former colony as it increasingly pivots toward Russia.

Barrot was greeted at the MINUSCA base by UN mission chief Valentine Rugwabiza.

His two-day visit follows the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Faustin-Archange Touadéra in April 2024, after years of tensions fueled by Moscow's expanding influence.

"After a brief cold spell in our shared history, our relationship with the CAR is being renewed and strengthened," a diplomatic source told AFP.

Moscow's growing footprint

Since independence in 1960, France maintained influence and a military presence in the mineral-rich nation, but has gradually ceded ground to Russia.

Facing persistent instability, Touadéra has increasingly relied on mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group, which secured lucrative contracts in gold, diamond, and logging sectors in return.

The president met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow just days before Barrot's arrival.

Scheduled talks

On Friday, Barrot is set to meet with Touadéra, who secured re-election in December with 78 percent of the vote—a result opposition parties condemn as fraudulent.

The last senior French visit was by Jean-Yves Le Drian in November 2018, two years after Touadéra took power amid civil war.