Central African Republic's President Names Coalition Government

On the proposal of Prime Minister Henri Marie Dondra, Central African Republic (CAR)'s President Faustin-Archange Touadéra late Wednesday appointed 32 ministers, including six women, according to a decree.

Claude Rameaux Bireau was appointed as national defense and army reconstruction minister of the country that has been troubled by unrest for nearly a decade.

The Interior and Public Security Ministry was handed over to Michel Nicaise Nassin.

The new government has six women, including Virginie Mbaïkoua at the Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Sylvie Bapo-Temo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Opposition figure Serge Ghislain Djorie will be in charge of communication and media. He thus becomes the government's spokesman.

Dondra, 55, a former finance minister, was appointed as the prime minister on June 11 following the resignation of Prime Minister Firmin Ngrebada.

The Central African Republic is one of the world's poorest countries and has been facing one of the 10 most under-reported humanitarian crises for five years in a row.

CAR has been troubled by unrest for years, but since May 2017, fresh and fierce clashes between armed groups have wrought increasing suffering, deaths, and destruction of property.

Violence and insecurity following the December 2020 general election have also forced tens of thousands more to flee, according to the UNHCR. -