Central African Republic Climate
Central African Republic (06/05)
The Central African Republic is an active member in several Central African organizations, including the Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) Central African Peace and Security Council (COPAX--still under formation), and the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC). Standardization of tax, customs, and security arrangements between the Central African states is a major foreign policy objective of the C.A.R. Government. The C.A.R. is a participant in the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), and the Organization of African Unity (OAU--now the African Union). Libya and, to a lesser degree, Sudan have shown increased interest in cooperation with the C.A.R. over the last year. ... [Read More]
Congo (Kinshasa) (06/05)
Location: Central Africa. Bordering nations--Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. ... Unrest and rebellion plagued the government until 1965, when Lieutenant General Mobutu, by then commander in chief of the national army, again seized control of the country and declared himself president for 5 years. Mobutu quickly centralized power into his own hands and was elected unopposed as president in 1970. Embarking on a campaign of cultural awareness, Mobutu renamed the country the Republic of Zaire and required citizens to adopt African names. Relative peace and stability prevailed until 1977 and 1978 when Katangan rebels, staged in Angola, launched a series of invasions into the Katanga region. The rebels were driven out with the aid of Belgian paratroopers. ... [Read More]
The Americas - US Department of State
International Monetary Fund Praises Guatemala's Economic StabilityBut country said to be hobbled by high poverty levels, income inequalityGuatemala is a "pillar of macroeconomic stability" in Central America, says AgustÃn Carstens, deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (complete text) U.S.-Backed Committee Reports Success in Haitian Recovery ProgramInternational aid bring ... [Read More]
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
President Bush (June 30): "...we will discuss the great political and economic progress being made in Africa, and the next steps we can take with African leaders to build on that progress. The whole world will benefit from prosperity and stability on the African continent. And the peoples of Africa deserve the peace and freedom and opportunity that are the natural rights of all mankind." [ more] ... Civil and Foreign Service officers and support staff bring a wide variety of educational and private sector backgrounds to offices in Washington, DC. They develop U.S. policy, administer programs, negotiate, and represent the Department before Congress, U.S. business and industry, and international organizations. Overseas, embassy economic officers lay the groundwork for negotiations, report on economic trends and the commercial climate, and maintain constant contact with foreign governments to represent U.S. interests. ... [Read More]
Costa Rica (08/04)
Costa Rica's infrastructure has suffered from a lack of maintenance and new investment. The country has an extensive road system of more than 30,000 kilometers, although much of it is in disrepair. Most parts of the country are accessible by road. The main highland cities in the country's Central Valley are connected by paved all-weather roads with the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and by the Pan American Highway with Nicaragua and Panama, the neighboring countries to the North and the South. Costa Rica's ports are struggling to keep pace with growing trade. They have insufficient capacity, and their equipment is in poor condition. The railroad does not function, with the exception of a couple of spurs reactivated by a U.S.-owned banana company. The government opened the ports and the railroad to competitive bidding opportunities for private investment and management, but U.S. companies chose not to participate in this process. Costa Rica has sought to widen its economic and trade ties, ... [Read More]
Dominican Republic (05/05)
The Dominican Republic’s most important trading partner is the U.S. (87% of export revenues); other markets include Canada, Western Europe, and Japan. The country exports free-trade-zone manufactured products (garments, footwear, etc.), nickel, sugar, coffee, cacao, and tobacco, and it imports foodstuffs, petroleum, industrial raw materials, and capital goods. On August 5, 2004, the Dominican Republic signed a Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and five Central American countries to integrate into the U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement. Foreign direct investment (FDI) was $309 million in 2003; although final figures are not yet available, it is expected to be about $100 million for 2004, much of it directed at the tourism sector, free trade zones, and telecommunication sector. Remittances were more than $2 billion in 2003. ... [Read More]
Nigeria (01/05)
Nigeria is a member of the following international organizations: UN and several of its special and related agencies, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Organization of African Unity (OAU), Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Commonwealth, INTELSAT, Nonaligned Movement, several other West African bodies. The Babangida regime joined the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), though President-elect Obasanjo has indicated he might reconsider Nigeria's membership. ... [Read More]
Congo (Brazzaville) (04/05)
Membership in international organizations includes the United Nations, African Development Bank, African Union, World Trade Organization, Economic Commission for Central African States (CEMAC), Central African Customs and Economic Union, International Coffee Organization, Union of Central African States, INTERPOL, Nonaligned Movement, and Group of 77. Congo holds a seat on the UN Commission for Human Rights. ... On March 18, 1977, President Ngouabi was assassinated. Although the persons accused of shooting Ngouabi were tried and some of them executed, the motivation behind the assassination is still not clear. An 11-member Military Committee of the Party (CMP) was named to head an interim government with Colonel (later General) Joachim Yhomby-Opango to serve as President of the Republic. Accused of corruption and deviation from party directives, Yhomby-Opango was removed from office on February 5, 1979, by the Central Committee of the PCT, which then simultaneously designated Vice President and Defense Minister Col. Denis Sassou-Nguesso as interim President. The Central Committee directed Sassou-Nguesso to take charge of preparations for the Third Extraordinary Congress of the PCT, which proceeded to elect him President of the Central Committee and President of the Republic. Under a congressional resolution, Yhomby-Opango was stripped of all powers, rank, and possessions and placed under arres ... [Read More]
South Africa (06/05)
South Africa has a sophisticated financial structure with a large and active stock exchange that ranks 17th in the world in terms of total market capitalization. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) performs all central banking functions. The SARB is independent and operates in much the same way as Western central banks, influencing interest rates and controlling liquidity through its interest rates on funds provided to private sector banks. Quantitative credit controls and administrative control of deposit and lending rates have largely disappeared. South African banks adhere to the Bank of International Standards core standards. ... [Read More]
Haiti (02/05)
On February 29, 2004, Jean-Bertrand Aristide submitted his resignation as President of Haiti and flew on a chartered plane to the Central African Republic. Boniface Alexandre, President (chief justice) of Haiti’s Supreme Court, assumed office as interim President in accordance with Haiti’s constitution. ... On February 29, 2004 Aristide submitted his resignation as President of Haiti and flew on a chartered plane to the Central African Republic. Boniface Alexandre, President (chief justice) of Haiti’s Supreme Court, assumed office as interim President in accordance with Haiti’s constitution. On recommendation from the Council of Elders, the President chose Gerard Latortue as interim Prime Minister. ... [Read More]
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