The Central African Republic (CAR) has diplomatic relations with 119 out of the 193 United Nations member states.
The country's attempts at an open policy towards neighbouring countries have been strained due to the long-standing civil war as well as broader regional conflicts such as reoccurring tensions between Chad and Sudan. In the 2010s, France maintained a military presence in the country. This was largely halted in 2016. The last French troops left in 2022 after relations with France soured due to the country's increasing ties to Russia under Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Since 2018, the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, has carried out operations in the CAR.
Participation in international organisations The Central African Republic is an active member in several Central African organizations, including the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). It is also a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Standardization of tax, customs, and security arrangements between the Central African states is a major foreign policy objective of the CAR government. The CAR is a participant in the Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD), and the African Union (AU). Additionally, it is a member of the Francophonie and an observer state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Other multilateral organizations—including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations agencies, European Union, and the African Development Bank—and bilateral donors—including the Republic of Korea, Germany, Japan, the European Union, and the United States—are significant development partners for the CAR.
Diplomatic relations List of countries which the Central African Republic maintains diplomatic relations with: #CountryDate1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526—2728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758—5960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119
Bilateral relations
Sixteen countries have resident diplomatic representatives in Bangui, and the CAR maintains approximately nineteen missions abroad. The countries the CAR maintains bilateral relations with include the following:
Country Formal relations beganNotes 1960Cameroon is the most important regional trade partner of the CAR, its exports to the CAR having increased massively over the course of recent years. In 2022, imports from Cameroon accounted for $243 million to $250,56 million. 80% of the CAR's imports arrive through the port of Douala, before being transported along a 1,450 km road to Bangui which includes unpaved stretches. The war has created a massive influx of refugees into Cameroon; as of 2024, the country held 282,000 Central African refugees. The two countries suffer from border-related issues including violent rebel raids for supplies as well as competing claims to some villages and towns. In 2022, Cameroon and the CAR held three-day talks in Yaoundé, where they agreed to demarcate the border and intensify their joint military presence in border towns.29 February 1964Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 February 1964 when has been accredited first Permanent Representative (Ambassador) of Chad to Central African Republic Mr. Thomas Keiro.
Chad is one of President François Bozizé's closest allies. Before seizing power in 2003, Bozizé's rebel group was equipped and trained in Chad. The group that finally overthrew President Ange-Félix Patassé consisted of–in addition to Bozizé's own rebels–100 soldiers from the Chad National Army. In addition to the 121 Chadian soldiers in the Multinational Force in the Central African Republic (FOMUC), there are still 150 soldiers from Chad in the CAR. The majority is found within the president's lifeguard, while others patrol Bangui and the north-west parts of the country.– Small Arms Survey, A widening war around Sudan: The proliferation of armed groups in the Central African Republic
Chad's president Idriss Déby has an interest in tranquility in north-western CAR, due to the proximity to the location of the Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project. In April 2006, the Chadian rebel group United Front for Democratic Change, which is based in Darfur used C.A.R. as a transit route to Chad, when attacking N'Djamena. Bozizé, who has received much support from President Déby, immediately decided to close the CAR-Sudan border (a decision which he has no capacity at all to enforce).
The border was officially closed between April and December. Already a couple of weeks later, an Antonov cargo plane crossed the border from Sudan and landed at Tiringoulou airport in C.A.R., where it unloaded weapons and about 50 armed men who spread out in the area. In the end of June, Central African military and FOMUC peacekeepers clashed with these men near Gordil, resulting in at least 30 casualties.
Chad had also maintained good relations with the previous president, Patassé. They were one of the countries that sent troops to defend Patassé during the mutinies in 1996-1997 and assisted in negotiating the subsequent Bangui Agreements. Following the increase of violence in north-western C.A.R. in late 2005, there were at the end of 2006 about 50,000 refugees from C.A.R. in Chad.29 September 1964Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 September 1964 under the government of David Dacko, which thereby cut off relations with Taiwan. It is believed that France tacitly supported the 1966 coup by Jean-Bédel Bokassa because of Dacko's rapprochement to China. Under Bokassa, the Central African regime immediately cut off its diplomatic relations with China in January 1966 and resumed its diplomatic relations with Taiwan in May 1968. However, on 20 August 1976, Bokassa switched back to the People's Republic with a state visit to Beijing and the signing of a joint communiqué. The Central African government once again switched it alliance to Taiwan on 8 July 1991 (under Kolingba) and finally back to China with a joint communiqué signed on 29 January 1998 (under Patassé).
Relations between China and the CAR notably include Chinese gold mining exploits in the country. These activities have repeatedly seen violent backlash from rebel groups. Two Chinese nationals were killed in Sosso-Nakombo in 2020, nine Chinese workers died in the 2023 Chimbolo massacre, and four workers died in a 2024 rebel attack on the gold mining town of Gaga. China has also provided financial and technical aid to major construction projects, including a stadium in Bangui (finished in 2007),Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran. 2013. China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development. a solar power plant near Bangui intended to deal with the widespread power cuts in the CAR (finished in 2023), and a highway from Bossarangba to Mbaïki (started in 2023).
The CAR was among 53 countries backing the Hong Kong national security law at the UN in June 2020.Bozizé has surprisingly good relations both with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila and the former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba. When the old president Kolingba tried to overthrow Patassé in May 2001, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) came to his rescue. MLC controlled the northern part of DRC and its rebels were stationed on the other side of the Ubangi river from Bangui. The MLC executed between 60 and 120 persons, mainly from the Yakoma tribe and committed atrocities–including killing, looting and rape–against the population. This terror and the crimes carried out during MLC's war against Bozizé's rebels between October 2002 and March 2003 is now being investigated by the International Criminal Court, which says it has identified 600 rape victims and the real numbers are expected to be higher.– International Criminal Court: Background – Situation in the Central African Republic, 22 May 2007
Most of the crimes were committed by Congolese MLC soldiers, but Bozizé's rebels, including elements from Chad, were also responsible. During Bozizé's time in power, new clashes have taken place between his soldiers and the MLC. Bozizé has strengthened military presence along the border and deployed an amphibious force patrolling the Ubangi river. There were refugees from DRC in C.A.R. from July 1999 (when Kabila advanced in the region bordering C.A.R.). The refugees were repatriated following an agreement between UNHCR and the governments of the two countries in 2004. Refugees from C.A.R. in DRC were beginning to be repatriated in July 2004.
Currently, several hundred troops of the Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are stationed in CAR.14 August 1960 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 August 1960
The CAR was a French colony under the name Ubangi-Shari between 1903 and 1960. Throughout the Cold War and afterwards, the country retained political and economic ties with France as well as a French military presence. As of 2022, imports from France accounted for $50,308 million, a significant decrease from €109,426 million in 2017.
The Cold War involvement of France in Central African politics included propping up David Dacko to be the first president, tacitly supporting the 1965 coup by Jean-Bédel Bokassa and providing substantial support to his lavish coronation ceremony in 1977, overthrowing Bokassa and re-installing Dacko in Operation Caban, and supporting André Kolingba in his coup against Dacko two years later. The French military advisor , serving as head of the Presidential Guard under Dacko and Kolingba, was described as a "proconsul" and as "the president of President Kolingba", implying he was even more powerful than Kolingba himself.
France closed its military bases in Bangui and Bouar in 1997 and relations with the CAR decreased during the Patassé era. After the 2003 coup that brought François Bozizé to power, France again sent 300 troops to Bangui, initially to repatriate foreigners, but keeping them in place after a request from Bozizé. The military ties with France were further restored by sending the Foreign Legion general Jean-Pierre Pérez - who was also connected to the private military company EHC - to be Bozizé's counseller.
Between 2013 and 2016, France carried out a military intervention codenamed Operation Sangaris against Séléka and Anti-balaka rebel militias. However, in the early stages of the intervention, France was also accused of cooperating with the Anti-balaka against Séléka, which helped cement Séléka's popularity among groups that suffered from Anti-balaka attacks and massacres. France officially ended Sangaris in 2016 and the last French troops left in 2022, after bilateral relations significantly cooled due to the CAR's increasing ties to Russia under Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Central African Republic has an embassy in Paris. France has an embassy in Bangui.14 June 1967Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 June 1967. Ghana is represented in the Central African Republic through its embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.7 June 1976Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1976.