CAR Republican Dialogue: Opposition Poses Participation Conditions

Representative of three main opposition parties in the Central African Republic on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 met with President Faustin Touadera at the Renaissance Palace. During the over one-hour discussion, the opposition parties reiterated their decision to withdraw representatives of their parties from the preparatory committee for the Republican Dialogue initiated by President Touadera, a day after his re-election. At the end of the meeting, President Touadera flanked by his chief of staff, diplomatic adviser and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, assured the opposition representatives that the case is closed, the opposition is still skeptic because no written legal document has been signed putting an end to the proceedings that is in court.

It should be noted that their withdrawal, is in protest against the reactivation in October 2021 of the procedure for lifting of the parliamentary immunity of three of their members. Even though the procedure was later suspended by the President of the National Assembly days after their withdrawal, the opposition stakeholders are now calling for its final cancellation, “Stopping the prosecution is a non-negotiable condition," said coalition spokesperson, Me Nicolas Tiangaye, after the meeting with the Head of State. He added that “powers are separate and justice is independent, but the prosecution takes its orders from the ministry, the ball is in the court of those who have powers”, concludes Me Tiangaye.

The opposition decision to maintain their withdrawal from the preparatory committee of the ...