Central Africa is made up of 8 countries with a total population of 153,2 million people, the least populated region on the continent. The region was also significantly influenced by French culture, in all instances adopting French as an official language and adopting the Central African Franc as its medium of exchange.
The region although diverse in its ethnic groupings largely has a common belief system with a majority of the people practicing Christianity, with Islam followers showing strength only in Chad.
The Central African region has a strong basis for regional integration if it can shake off the stranglehold of its former colonizers France, who may have relinquished physical colonization of these territories, but mentally and militarily are still very much in control of the citizens of these countries. When these countries were given their independence they were forced to sign a pact that in effect maintained Frances hold over them post independence.
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) includes all the above countries as well as Angola (which geographically falls in the Southern African region). Seven of these states including Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equitorial Guinea, Chad, and DRC form part of CEMAC – Economic and Monetary Union of Central Africa, sharing a common currency, the Central African Franc.
The main obstacle towards sustainable regional integration for the benefit of Africans in this block is France and some corrupt African leaders who do their bidding! However having said that, the administrative structure previously set up under France could be used as a platform to implement reforms that can take the region forward as a more integrated region for African citizens.
The main economic activities in this region comprise farming, herding and fishing. The region is heavily resource rich, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which arguably is the one of Africa’s and the World’s wealthiest sources of natural resources with an estimated Tens of Trillions of dollars in untapped resources.
This region has seen nothing but unrest since the colonial era, first under France and later under Belgium in the case of the DRC, due to continuous armed conflict through civil wars and political assassinations. The Central African Republic which Is also a former French colony is constantly at war with itself. It’s ironical how the citizens of these countries don’t have anything, but somehow have expensive modern weapons to fight each other. Where do they get these weapons from? Externally driven and funded unrest will need to stop for there to be any meaningful growth and development in this region and in other resource rich regions of Africa!
The real reason why there are certain hotspots with conflict on the ground has a lot to do with Africa’s natural resources. This is a perfect segway to take a closer a look at what exactly is at stake in the below video.
