Central African Republic to sign peace deal with 14 rebels groups on Tuesday
With a hug and a handshake, the Central African Republic’s government and warring rebels announced a peace deal on Saturday. The government, which controls only about 20% of the country, will sign the deal with 14 rebel groups in the capital Bangui today.
The agreement is the seventh since Muslim rebels overthrew Christian President Francois Bozize in 2013—none has brought lasting peace. Some 6,000 people have been killed since then, with 700,000 internally displaced and half a million fleeing over the borders.
Details of the latest deal are sketchy. A special commission to track crimes committed over the past five years will be established to prosecute war criminals. An understanding on power sharing has also been reached and President Touadera is expected to appoint a new prime minister one week from today’s signing.
However, if history is anything to go by, today’s deal is unlikely to bring sustained peace. CAR’s government is weak and highly dependent on foreign assistance. Rebel groups meanwhile are fractious and have competing interests, often fighting over resources such as diamonds and gold.
CAR’s geography also poses challenges. The country is landlocked—indeed, it is the furthest of all of Africa’s countries from the sea, limiting trade and therefore economic development opportunities.
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