C.A.R PM Calls for Aid, Foreign Troops
December 02, 2013
The interim prime minister of the Central African Republic says stabilizing his violence-plagued country will require foreign financial aid as well as the deployment of international troops.
In an interview with the French news agency published Monday, Nicolas Tiangaye said the C.A.R.'s economy has been 'paralyzed' by a crisis that began in March, when rebels overthrew the president of the impoverished nation.
The coup led to the formation of a weak interim government that has been unable to stop former Seleka rebels from committing rights abuses across the landlocked country.
Prime Minister Tiangaye said he will ask for foreign aid to help revive the C.A.R.'s economy when he attends a Paris summit of French and African leaders, beginning Friday.
France is the C.A.R.'s former colonial ruler. The French government sent 200 additional troops to the C.A.R.'s capital, Bangui, on Sunday to strengthen a contingent of French and regional African forces trying to stop the violence.
One French soldier told the French news agency that Paris' reinforcements include elite snipers whose mission is to watch over the city.
Another French soldier said it was difficult to identify the vehicles of Bangui's various armed groups because they look similar to each other.
France plans to raise its troop levels in the C.A.R. to 1,000 in the coming weeks.
The troop contingent from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is due to expand into an African Union-led force of 3,600 personnel this month.
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