Central African Republic opposition disputes gold revenue management

The Republican Alliance for the Defense of the Constitution (BRDC) has issued a sharp critique of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s administration, focusing on the management of the nation's gold resources and the lack of improvement in basic social services.

During a press conference, BRDC spokesperson Martin Ziguélé questioned the discrepancy between the mining sector's reported growth and the actual tax revenue received by the state treasury. While gold exports are estimated to exceed 300 billion Central African Francs (CFA) annually, the opposition notes that the state budget records less than 5 billion CFA in taxes and fees from the sector.

The opposition specifically demanded transparency regarding the exploitation of the Ndassima gold mine and the distribution of mining licenses. In response, the government has defended its record, citing progress made since 2016 and emphasizing the challenges of managing fragile public finances.