France Increases Its Involvement in the Central African Republic

Security forces of the Central African Republic patrol in the capital, Bangui, on Nov. 22. (PACOME PABANDJI/AFP/Getty Images)

Summary

The deployment of French troops to the Central African Republic brings Paris to a new level of commitment in the conflict, where it had previously limited its presence to protecting French interests and providing logistical support to African peacekeepers. The French government said Nov. 26 that it would deploy about 1,000 troops to the landlocked African nation, where the government and African peacekeeping forces have failed to put an end to insecurity. However, the French forces will likely avoid direct engagement with the remaining rebel forces in the country.

Analysis

The Central African Republic has been racked by violence since current President Michel Djotodia's rise to power through a rebellion in March. After the Seleka alliance of rebels brought Djotodia to power, he disbanded the alliance, but his lack of control over the rebels and the limited capabilities of the country's security forces have meant that he has been unable to control the spread of local militias or quell continuing violence against civilians.

After meeting in Paris with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Central African Republic Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye said France had committed to deploying 800 more soldiers to the Central African Republic. France currently has 410 soldiers in the country who are responsible for guarding the airport and French interests as well as providing logistical support for the African peacekeeping forces in the country.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed the statement, saying France would send about 1,000 troops for security operations in the Central African Republic. Paris also submitted a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council on Nov. 25 regarding peacekeeping operations in the country. The resolution would strengthen the mandate of peacekeepers in the Central African Republic as a first step to transform the existing operation into an African Union operation -- a transition that is already underway -- and potentially into a U.N. operation later. The mandate would allow African and French forces to use "all necessary measures" to protect civilians in the country.

At the moment there are 2,500 African troops from Cameroon, Chad, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo deployed in the country, but they operate mainly in the capital, Bangui. Organized by the Economic Community of Central African States, this peacekeeping force is currently transitioning into an African Union operation that will eventually number 3,600 troops.

Click to Enlarge

While the African Union force secures Bangui and other hotspots, such as Bossangoa and Bouca north of the capital, Tiangaye has suggested that French forces would be responsible for patrolling the main roads connecting Bangui to Cameroon as well as other roads leading to the northwestern part of the country. These patrols would help prevent future rebel attacks on Cameroon like the one that occurred Nov. 18. However, France will probably avoid the main sites of rebel activity and will push African troops to deal with those areas.

Before committing to the deployment, France had been pushing the U.N. to take steps to secure the Central African Republic. While France is interested in protecting its strategic interests and honoring its political alliances abroad, international legitimacy is a very sensitive issue for Paris, particularly after the debate over military intervention in Syria. At a time when France is dealing with domestic problems, the government of President Francois Hollande wants U.N. backing to prevent potential criticism at home. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon recently presented a report to the Security Council outlining a plan that includes the African Union assuming control of peacekeeping -- an effort already underway -- and the potential involvement of 6,000-9,000 U.N. forces if the African Union force is unable to secure the country.

The peacekeepers, both those currently deployed and those soon to be deployed, are unlikely to completely secure the Central African Republic. The scale of operations being planned will mostly seek to secure Bangui and other population centers that have seen frequent rebel activity. The fragmented rebel groups that used to make up the Seleka alliance, preoccupied with looting and pillaging instead of fighting for control of the country, will probably try to avoid confrontation with peacekeepers. While foreign forces may be able to limit spillover into neighboring countries and return stability to major towns, activity by smaller rebel groups in remote areas of the Central African Republic is likely to continue.

Why States Still Use Barrel Bombs

Smoke ascends after a Syrian military helicopter allegedly dropped a barrel bomb over the city of Daraya on Jan. 31.(FADI DIRANI/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Barrel bombs are not especially effective weapons. They are often poorly constructed; they fail to detonate more often than other devices constructed for a similar purpose; and their lack of precision means they can have a disproportionate effect on civilian populations. However, combatants continue to use barrel bombs in conflicts, including in recent and ongoing conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, and they are ideally suited to the requirements of resource-poor states. Analysis Barrel bombs are improvised devices that contain explosive filling and shrapnel packed into a container, often in a cylindrical shape such as a barrel. The devices continue to be dropped on towns all over Syria . Indeed, there have been several documented cases of their use in Iraq over the past months, and residents of the city of Mosul, which was re

Russia Looks East for New Oil Markets

Click to Enlarge In the final years of the Soviet Union, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began orienting his foreign policy toward Asia in response to a rising Japan. Putin has also piloted a much-touted pivot to Asia, coinciding with renewed U.S. interest in the area. A good expression of intent was Russia's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2012 in Vladivostok, near Russia's borders with China and North Korea. Although its efforts in Asia have been limited by more direct interests in Russia's periphery and in Europe, Moscow recently has been able to look more to the east. Part of this renewed interest involves finding new export markets for Russian hydrocarbons. Russia's economy relies on energy exports, particularly crude oil and natural gas exported via pipeline to the West. However, Western Europe is diversifying its energy sources as new supplies come online out of a desire to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies . This has

LONDON POLICE INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE CRIMINALS TO ATTACK RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC PROPERTY

ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE A few days ago an unknown perpetrator trespassed on the territory of the Russian Trade Delegation in London, causing damage to the property and the vehicles belonging to the trade delegation , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during the September 12 press briefing. The diplomat revealed the response by the London police was discouraging. Police told that the case does not have any prospects and is likely to be closed. This was made despite the fact that the British law enforcement was provided with video surveillance tapes and detailed information shedding light on the incident. By this byehavior, British law inforcements indirectly encourage criminals to continue attacks on Russian diplomatic property in the UK. Zakharova’s statement on “Trespassing on the Russian Trade Mission premises in London” ( source ): During our briefings, we have repeatedly discussed compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, specif

ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Search This Blog