Leaders from France and CAR discuss strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation.
France has declared its relationship with the Central African Republic fully restored, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot making the first high-level French visit to Bangui in seven years. The trip signals Paris’s renewed effort to rebuild influence in a country it once dominated, but where Russia has steadily expanded its footprint in exchange for lucrative mining contracts in gold, diamonds, and timber. The diplomatic thaw follows a rapprochement between Presidents Touadéra and Macron in April 2024. Notably, Touadéra had just returned from Moscow and a meeting with Putin days before Barrot’s arrival. France’s previously strong ties with CAR had been strained by Russia’s growing influence, leading to the split between Paris and Bangui.
RFI