Central African Republic Export
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]
Dominican Republic Joins U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement - US Department of State
DR-CAFTA is a key export market for important U.S. manufacturing sectors such as information technology products, agricultural and construction equipment, paper products, chemicals and medical and scientific equipment, all of which will enjoy immediate duty-free access. More than half of current U.S. farm exports to the Dominican Republic and Central America will become duty-free immediately, including high quality cuts of beef, cotton, wheat, soybeans, key fruits and vegetables, processed food products, and wine, among others. Each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia export to the CAFTA region. The leading states exporting to DR-CAFTA countries are Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, California, Georgia, Alabama, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. ... [Read More]
Central African Republic
During the first part of the year, the Central African Republic (CAR) continued to be a multiparty state led by President Ange-Félix Patassé, who had been re-elected in 1999. However, on March 15, a 6-month rebellion culminated in a military coup led by former Armed Forces Chief of Staff General François Bozizé, with the assistance of demobilized Chadian soldiers and the tacit involvement of active Chadian soldiers. General Bozizé declared himself President, suspended the Constitution, and dissolved the National Assembly. Between March and June, he appointed a Prime Minister; appointed a transitional cabinet from members of all political parties, including the party of deposed President Patassé, and civil society; and established a National Transitional Council (NTC), a law-advisory body intended to reestablish the rule of law, assist the presidency in drafting a new constitution, and prepare the country for multiparty elections in ... [Read More]
Central African Republic
Central African Republic ... Under a suspended Constitution, the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) is comprised of a strong executive branch and weak legislative and judicial branches. In March 2003, a 6-month rebellion culminated in a military coup led by former Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Francois Bozize, with the assistance of demobilized Chadian soldiers and the tacit involvement of active Chadian soldiers. The coup deposed then-President Ange-Felix Patasse, who had been re-elected in 1999. General Bozize declared himself President, suspended the Constitution, and dissolved the National Assembly. In 2003, he appointed a Prime Minister; appointed a transitional cabinet composed of members of all political parties, including the party of deposed President Patasse, and civil society; and established a National Transitional Council (CNT), a legislative body comprised of 96 representatives from civil society and all political parties. During the year, the Governmen ... [Read More]
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is a constitutional democracy with a multiparty legislature. Ange-Felix Patasse, leader of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC), who first was elected President in 1993, was reelected with a narrow majority in September 1999. The Presidential election, like the National Assembly elections held in late 1998, generally was free but was controlled by the Government and was marred by irregularities that tended to favor the ruling party candidate. The Government is headed by a Prime Minister and Cabinet appointed by the President. Although the Constitution provides for separation of powers, the Legislature is vulnerable to manipulation by the President, who dominates the Government. The President can veto legislation, although two-thirds of the unicameral legislature can override his veto, and he can rule by decree under special conditions. On April 1, President Patasse replaced the Prime Minister, Anicet Georges Dologuele, with M ... [Read More]
Signatories to the 1970 UNESCO Convention
Central African Republic ... Czech Republic ... 1 Amended listings of the signatories to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property" are published by the United States in the Federal Register. The Cultural Property staff keeps an updated list of signers in the interim. ... [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. ... Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more. ... 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]
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]
U.S. and Dominican Republic Conclude Trade Agreement - US Department of State
"The Dominican Republic is a large regional market, with strong ties to the U.S., and this agreement opens many opportunities for American exporters, farmers, workers, consumers and businesses, and it will promote economic growth, opportunity and prosperity in the Dominican Republic and the region. With the addition of the Dominican Republic, the CAFTA will further streamline regional trade; promote investment; slash tariffs on goods; remove barriers to trade in services; provide advanced intellectual property protections; promote regulatory transparency; strengthen labor and environmental conditions; and, provide an effective system to settle disputes," Zoellick said. ... [Read More]
USTR Notifies Congress of Intent To Initiate Free Trade Talks With the Dominican Republic
According to a recent Cato Institute Paper by Dan Griswold, the markets opened through the recently completed Chile and Singapore FTAs, the ongoing Morocco, Central America (CAFTA), South African Customs Union (SACU), and Australia FTA negotiations, and the proposed Bahrain FTA negotiations, taken together as a group would constitute the 4th largest U.S. export market and the world's 9th largest economy in terms of purchasing power. The Cato paper did not include the Dominican Republic, but the markets of the Dominican Republic and Central America would create the second largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America. ... [Read More]
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