In recent weeks, at least eight American nationals have suffered administrative harassment in Bangui. The latest, a journalist and another person were expelled this Thursday, put on a flight to Douala, Cameroon, after eight days of difficulties punctuated by an afternoon of interrogation at the Port-Amont police station. Their passports, phones and equipment were confiscated. These incidents occur while Washington has been trying for several months to get Bangui to separate from the Wagner group. So far without results.
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According to several observers, these harassments can be read in the diplomatic context between the two countries: in December 2022, during the United States-Africa summit, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to several sources, asked President Touadéra to dissociate itself from the Wagner group, and offer alternatives in the field of security.
However, and despite the death of Yevgueni Prigojine at the end of August, Russian mercenaries continue their operations in the Central African Republic, in the security field, but also in the economic field, mainly through mining and forestry.
The United States has since sent contradictory signals: very discreet at the time of the constitutional referendum of July 30, American diplomacy ended up sharing its “ reserves » on the consultation. And on October 31, Bangui was excluded of the Agoa commercial programbecause of “ gross violations of human rights » in the country, an essentially symbolic sanction.
At the same time, at the end of September, a delegation from the American private security company Bancroft was received at the presidency, which subsequently led the Wagner group’s communication channels to mention the arrival “ in November » in Bangui « CIA agents », assertions shared via social networks by executives of the Central African government.
The American ambassador in Bangui regularly met Faustin-Archange Touadéra. The last time on November 6 for a “ exchange on strengthening bilateral cooperation and the importance of the democratic system », According to the official press release.
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