Central African Republic–United States relations

Central African Republic-United States relations have generally been good, although concerns over the pace of political and economic liberalization and human rights have affected the degree of support provided by the United States to the Central African Republic. The U.S. Embassy in Bangui was briefly closed as a result of the 1996-97 mutinies. It reopened in 1998 with limited staff, but U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Peace Corps missions previously operating in Bangui did not return. The American Embassy in Bangui again temporarily suspended operations on November 2, 2002 in response to security concerns raised by the October 2002 launch of Francois Bozize’s 2003 military coup.

History

The Embassy reopened in January 2005; however, there currently is limited U.S. diplomatic/consular representation in the C.A.R. As a result, the ability of the Embassy to provide services to American citizens remains extremely limited. The Department of State approved the lifting of Section 508 aid restrictions triggered by the coup; U.S. assistance to the Central African Republic had been prohibited except in the areas of humanitarian aid and support for democratization.

Principal U.S. Officials

* Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Bangui--Frederick Cook

Diplomatic missions

The U.S. Embassy is located in Bangui.

References

StateDept [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm#relations]