Central African Republic (CAR) President Faustin-Archange Touadéra reaches out to the diaspora in France ahead of critical national elections, seeking support and highlighting a strategic political shift.
In a sunlit conference hall on the outskirts of Paris, the rhythms of Central African music briefly displaced the usual hum of French business. The draw was not a cultural festival, but Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who is making a direct and strategic pitch to his nation’s diaspora in France ahead of crucial elections.
The visit, part of a series of engagements, signals a calculated effort by Touadéra’s government to mobilize a key constituency. For a nation grappling with persistent internal conflict and a shifting geopolitical landscape, the support of citizens abroad represents potential votes, financial capital and international legitimacy.
“You are the ambassadors of our country,” Touadéra told a crowd of several hundred, speaking in a mix of French and Sango. “Your role is more crucial than ever in the development and stability of our homeland.”
The timing of this outreach is politically significant. While official dates are yet to be announced, presidential and legislative elections are constitutionally due in 2025. Political analysts note that diaspora communities can be a powerful force, capable of swaying electoral outcomes through remittances, vocal advocacy and, if voting mechanisms are established, their ballots.
“The diaspora is often overlooked, but it holds considerable influence,” said Léonard Doko, a researcher specializing in Central African politics. “Touadéra is not just looking for votes. He is seeking a buffer of support from a population perceived as more critical, to counterbalance domestic challenges and burnish his international image.”
France, the former colonial power, hosts one of the largest Central African diasporas in the world. The relationship between Bangui and Paris has been fraught in recent years, with Touadéra’s government increasingly relying on Russian mercenary forces from the Wagner Group for security, a move that has cooled ties with France.
This context makes the president’s courtship in France all the more notable. It is an attempt to bridge geopolitical divides and appeal to a community that maintains deep familial and economic ties to CAR, even as the government’s alliances shift.
“He needs to show he hasn’t entirely turned his back on the West, and that he can still command support from Central Africans living here,” Doko added.
For the diaspora, the engagement is met with a mixture of hope and skepticism.
“It’s good that he comes to listen to us,” said Marie-Louise Yalanga, a nurse who has lived in Montpellier for 15 years. “But we hear about so much suffering back home. We send money, we try to help, but we need to see real change, real security, before we can give our full confidence.”
The government’s ability to facilitate a secure and transparent electoral process for citizens abroad remains a key question. Previous elections have seen logistical hurdles for diaspora voting, and overcoming these will be a critical test of the administration’s commitment to this outreach.
As Touadéra concluded his speech in Paris, the applause was polite but measured. The true measure of his success, however, will not be heard in a conference hall in France, but in the quiet hum of voting machines—and the subsequent peace or turmoil—in the heart of Bangui.
