WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 306 - 
 
  ANNEX 4 CENTRAL AF RICAN REPUBLIC 
 
 WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 307 - 
 
  CONTENTS 
1   ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 310  
1.1   Main features ......................................................................................................... 310  
1.2   Recent Economic Trends .......................................................................................... 311  
1.3   Trade and in vestment trend ..................................................................................... 312  
1.4   Outlook ................................................................................................................. 315  
2   TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES ......................................................................... 316  
2.1   Overview ............................................................................................................... 316  
2.2   Trade policy  objectives ............................................................................................ 319  
2.3   Trade agreements  and arrang ements ........................................................................ 319  
2.3.1   World Trade Organisation ...................................................................................... 319  
2.3.2   Relations with th e European Un ion (EU)  .................................................................. 320  
2.3.3   Other agreements and arrangements ...................................................................... 320  
2.4   Investme nt Regime ................................................................................................ 321  
2.4.1   Settlement of investment-related disputes ............................................................... 324  
3   TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE ...................................................... 325  
3.1   Measures directly  affecting imports ........................................................................... 325  
3.1.1   Regi stration  ........................................................................................................ 3 25 
3.1.2   Preshipment inspection ......................................................................................... 326  
3.1.3   Customs procedures ............................................................................................. 327  
3.1.4   Rules of origin ..................................................................................................... 3 28 
3.1.5   Customs levies .................................................................................................... 328  
3.1.6   Intern al taxes ..................................................................................................... 33 0 
3.1.7   Tariff preferences ................................................................................................ 331  
3.1.8   Duty and tax concessions ...................................................................................... 331  
3.1.9   Prohibitions, quantitative  restrictions an d licences .................................................... 332  
3.1.10   Standards, technical re gulations and a ccreditation .................................................. 333  
3.1.11   Packaging, marking an d labelling requirements ...................................................... 333  
3.1.12   Sanitary and ph ytosanitary me asures ................................................................... 334  
3.1.13   Contingency measures ........................................................................................ 334  
3.1.14   Other measures ................................................................................................. 334  
3.2   Measures directly  affecting exports ........................................................................... 335  
3.2.1   Registration and customs procedures ...................................................................... 335  
3.2.2   Export du ties and taxes ........................................................................................ 335  
3.2.3   Export prohibit ions and co ntrols ............................................................................. 336  
3.2.4   Export subsid ies and prom otion ............................................................................. 336  
3.3   Measures affecting production an d trade .................................................................... 336  
3.3.1   Ince ntives .......................................................................................................... 3 36 WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 308 - 
 
  3.3.2   Competition and price co ntrol ................................................................................ 336  
3.3.3   State trading, State-owne d enterprises and privatization ........................................... 337  
3.3.4   Government  procurement ..................................................................................... 337  
3.3.5   Protection of inte llectual property  rights .................................................................. 338  
4   TRADE POLICY  BY SECTOR ...................................................................................... 340  
4.1   Agriculture, livestock farm ing, forestry and fisheries .................................................... 340  
4.1.1   Overview ............................................................................................................ 3 40 
4.1.2   Agricultural policies .............................................................................................. 34 2 
4.1.3   Policy by subsector .............................................................................................. 342  
4.1.4   Fo restry  ............................................................................................................. 348 
4.2   Mining and Energy .................................................................................................. 350  
4.2.1   Mining products ................................................................................................... 351  
4.2.2   Petroleum products .............................................................................................. 353  
4.3   Manufacturi ng sect or .............................................................................................. 356  
4.4   Services ................................................................................................................  357 
4.4.1   Transpor t services ............................................................................................... 358  
4.4.2   Telecommunications services ................................................................................. 361  
4.4.3   Postal  services .................................................................................................... 36 3 
4.4.4   Financial services ................................................................................................. 363  
4.4.5   Professional an d business se rvices ......................................................................... 364  
4.4.6   Tourism .............................................................................................................. 366  
REFERENC ES ................................................................................................................ 367  
 
 
CHARTS 
Chart 1.1 Structure of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011  ......................................................... 313  
Chart 1.2 Direction of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011  ......................................................... 314  
Chart 4.1 Main budget it ems 2012, by chapte r ................................................................... 341  
Chart 4.2 Diamond exports and prices, 2005-201 1 ............................................................. 351  
Chart 4.3 Air tran sport, 2003- 2011 .................................................................................. 358  
 
TABLES 
Table 1.1 Basic economic indicators, 2005-2012 ................................................................. 310  
Table 1.2 Balance of payments, 2005- 2011 ....................................................................... 312  
Table 2.1 Principal trade-related la ws and regulation s, March 2013 ....................................... 317  
Table 2.2 Number of authorizations gran ted and investments pl anned, 2006 -2012 .................. 322  
Table 2.3 Formalities and fees asso ciated with busi ness start- ups ......................................... 323  WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 309 - 
 
  Table 3.1 Number of registrations for enga ging in import-expor t trade, 2008 -2012 ................. 325  
Table 3.2 Fiscal revenue by  main source , 2007-201 2 .......................................................... 329 
Table 3.3 Breakdown of revenue losse s owing to exempt ions, 2009-20 12 .............................. 331  
Table 3.4 Import controls, 2012 ....................................................................................... 333  
Table 3.5 Number of applications, by year and by  type of title, filed with the SNL from the 
Central African Republic, 2006-2012 ................................................................................. 338  
Table 4.1 Production of food crops, 2000, 2005-2010 .......................................................... 340  
Table 4.2 Palm oil production and trade indicators, 2000, 2005-2 010 .................................... 346  
Table 4.3 Production and export of  timber, 2000, 2005,  2008-2 011 ...................................... 348  
Table 4.4 Electricity rates since February 2006 ................................................................... 355  
Table 4.5 Mobile telephony indicators, 2012 ....................................................................... 361  
Table 4.6 Costs of telecomm unications lice nses, 2012  ......................................................... 362  
Table 4.7 Regulated professions in the Central African Republic ............................................ 365  
 WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 310 - 
 
  1  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
1.1  Main features 1.1.  The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country with an area of 623,000 km
2. 
It shares borders with Cameroon to the west, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the 
Republic of the Congo to the south, Sudan to th e east and Chad to the north. Its predominantly 
rural population was estimated at 4.5 million in 2011. It is growing at an average annual rate of 1.9%. Almost half the population is under 18 years of age. The capital Bangui is home to 
some 16% of the total population. Owing to its climatic diversity (dense humid forest in the south, 
pseudo-steppe in the north), the flora and fauna  of the Central African Republic are rich 
and varied. It also has a dense hydrographic network and extensive forest and mining resources. 
1.2.  The Central African Republic is a fragile, post-conflict country. The numerous armed conflicts 
in the country have undermined its economic and social fabric. Life expectancy there has fallen, 
moving from 51 years in 1999 to 48.4 in 2011.
1 It is classified amongst the "least developed 
countries". Nominal per capita income was US$483 in 2011, the lowest in the CEMAC zone.2 
The Human Development Index (HDI) classifies the Central African Republic as a country with 
a low level of human development, ranking it 179th out of 187 countries in 2011. Poverty affects 
most of the population (an incidence of 62% in 2008 as against 67% in 2003), with rural areas 
being the hardest hit. 
1.3.  The economy is based mainly on the agricultural sector (including subsistence farming, 
livestock breeding, hunting, fishing, and forestry), and is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions. Agriculture employs some 75% of the active population and accounts for more than half of GDP 
(about 52%). The decline in mining activities has meant a slight contraction in the GDP 
contribution of the industrial sector to 13.1% in  2011. On average, the services sector accounts 
for 30% of GDP. Foreign trade is based on the exploitation of forest and mineral resources. 
1.4.  The Central African Republic is currently the only non-oil exporting CEMAC country, with the 
result that the economic climate induced by oil price fluctuations is quite different from that of other CEMAC countries. Its chief exports are wood and diamonds. 
1.5.  The Central African Republic is dependent on external assistance. The predominance of the 
informal sector means that the tax base is rather limited. According to IMF estimates, total fiscal revenue represented an average of 9.2% of GDP for the period 1990-2010, as against an average of 16.9% in the CEMAC area and 18.2% in Sub-Saharan Africa.
3 This situation limits the 
Government's capacity to invest in the basic infrastructure necessary for economic take-off. 
The Central African Republic reached the completion point under the enhanced HIPC Initiative in 2009 and was thus able to benefit from debt relief totalling US$578.2 million, which reduced the 
level of public debt from 63% to 25.5% of GDP in 2009. 
Table 1.1 Basic economic indicators, 2005-2012 
 2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 2011 2012  
Nominal GDP (in CFAF billion) 712.1 772.2 813.0 945.9 997.7 1,055.6 1,122.2 1,213.3  
Inflation (%) 2.9 6.7 0.9 9.3 3.5 1.5 1.2 5.0 
Real GDP growth rate 2.4 3.8 3.7 2.0 1.4 2.9 3.3 3.7 
GDP Structure  
(GDP at current prices) (% of GDP) 
Agriculture .. .. 27.7 29.1 29.5 30.1 30.9 32.0 
Livestock rearing .. .. 12.0 12.6 12.7 12.6 12.7 13.4 
Hunting and fishing .. .. 5.1 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.5 
Forestry .. .. 6.4 5.6 3.7 2.4 2.8 3.8 
Mining and quarrying .. .. 2.6 1.6 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.0 
Manufacturing industries .. .. 6.3 6.3 6.4 6.3 6.2 6.4 
                                                                 
1 UNDP online information. Vi ewed at: http://hdrstats.undp .org/fr/pays/profils/CAF.html 
[27 February 2013]. 
2 This income is equivalent to just over half that of Chad (US$823 per capita), the only other LDC 
in the CEMAC. 
3 IMF (2012). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 311 - 
 
   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 2011 2012  
Building and public works .. .. 3.8 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.3 4.5 
Services .. .. 29.6 29.2 29.6 29.7 29.9 31.8 
 Tradable services .. .. 23.5 23.6 23.6 23.8 25.5 26.6 
 Non-tradable services .. .. 6.1 5.6 6.0 5.9 4.4 5.2 
Taxes/products .. .. 3.9 3.8 4.7 5.2 2.2 2.4 
Customs duties .. .. 1.8 1.9 1.8 2.0 3.1 3.4 
Public finances (% of GDP) 
Total revenue and grants 12.4 22.9 14.4 14.3 39.1 15.6 12.3 14 
 Tax revenue 7.1 7.8 7.3 7.5 8.1 8.7 7.8 8.6 
 Non-tax revenue 1.1 1.7 3 2.3 2 1.7 2.2 1.6 
 Grants 4.1 13.4 4.1 4.5 29 5.2 2.3 3.8 
Total expenditure 16.9 13.9 13.1 14.6 13.7 15.9 14.6 13.7 
 Current expenditure 10.6 8.1 8 10.4 9.7 10.6 11 9.3 
 Investment expenditure 5.4 4.9 3.6 4.2 4 5.3 3.7 4.4 
Overall fiscal balance, 
commitments basis, excluding 
grants -8.7 -4.4 -2.8 -4.8 -3.6 -5.5 -4.7 -3.5 
External Sector (% of GDP, unless otherwise indicated) 
Outstanding external debt/GDP 93.6 72.9 68.5 63.0 25.5 20.3 18.3 17.2 
Debt servicing/fiscal revenue 
ratio 30.0 101.1 22.9 22.1 293.6 .. .. .. 
Debt servicing/goods and 
services exports ratio 19.4 67.7 16.6 20.9 342.5 .. .. .. 
External reserves (in months of 
imports c.i.f.) 8.3 5.8 3.2 4.1 9.8 .. .. .. 
.. Not available. 
Source: Information provided by the Central African au thorities; IMF (2012); and BEAC. Online information, 
viewed at: http://www.beac.int/index.php/statistiques/; World Bank, World Development Indicators. 
1.2  Recent Economic Trends 
1.6.  One of the major developments in the Cent ral African Republic's economic environment since 
its last TPR has been the problematic implementation of its first poverty reduction strategy.4 
Under the strategy, the country had set itself a lo ng-term vision of building a strong and diverse 
economy and a modern State open to the world. From 2008 to 2010, however, the implementation of the strategy faced numerous obstacles including the continuing nationwide energy crisis, 
soaring food prices and rising energy costs. This  situation was compounded by a fall in demand 
for exports of Central African wood and diamonds  induced by a difficult international situation 
related to the international financial crisis. 
1.7.  Economic activity therefore showed lo w growth levels in 2008 and 2009, which then 
accelerated slightly in 2010 and 2011 to about 3% per annum. The economy continued to expand 
in 2012 with real GDP growth of 4.1% thanks to  more abundant rainfall and a resulting good 
harvest, and to an improved security situation during the first half of the year, and the resumption 
of mining activities in some parts of the country. 
1.8.  Fuelled by soaring food prices in 2008, infl ation surpassed 9% before being quickly contained 
at 3.5% the following year, and held below the community ceiling of 3% in 2010 and 2011. 
This drop was due to a decline in international oil prices combined with tax relief measures taken 
by the authorities. However, inflation again picked  up in 2012 driven by items related to clothing, 
food products and energy, to stand at 5%. 
1.9.  As regards public finances, revenue (excluding grants) increased by 10.6% in 2012 to 
reach CFAF 123.7 billion (10.2% of GDP) owing to improved corporation tax collection. After rising 
sharply in 2010, public spending contracted slight ly to CFAF 166.1 billion in 2012, which resulted 
in a deficit of CFAF 42.4 billion (3.5% of GDP) in the overall fiscal balance (commitment basis, 
excluding grants). 
                                                                 
4 Central African Republic (2007). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 312 - 
 
  1.10.  On the foreign trade front, the structural current account deficit in the balance of payments 
widened to over CFAF 200 billion in 2010 before recovering slightly in 2011. Contributing factors were high levels of goods and services impo rts coupled with a poor export performance. 
Table 1.2 Balance of payments, 2005-2011 
(US$ million) 
 2005  2006  2007  2008a 2009a 2010a 2011a 
Current account balance -91.1  -47.7  -109.2  -197.0  -181.9 -201.9 -167.4  
Current account balance excluding 
public transfers 
 Foreign trade balance -118.6  
-47.0  -125.3  
-44.9  -169.2  
-70.7  -264.2  
-150.1  -253.3 
-147.2 -275.0 
-163.5 -216.6  
-114.2  
 Exports f.o.b. 127.8  157.6  178.2  150.3  123.9 141.7 191.4  
 Imports, f.o.b. -174.8  -202.6  -248.9  -300.4  -270.9 -305.3 -305.6  
 Services balance -61.2  -68.6  -86.6  -96.9  -91.1 -113.9 -112.3  
 Credits .. .. .. 67.9 64.8 69.5 74.0 
 Freight, insurance ..  .. .. 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.9  
 Government authorities .. .. .. 47.3 45.3 47.7 50.4 
 Travel ..  .. .. 10.0 9.5 11.1 11.9  
Other services .. .. .. 8.9 8.5 9.1 9.7 
 Debits    -165.0  -155.9 -183.3 -186.1  
 Freight and insurance .. .. .. -83.7  -70.3 -86.2 -85.6  
 Government authorities ..  .. .. -2.5 -3.0 -3.4 -4.0  
 Travel .. .. .. -54.5  -54.6 -52.5 -55.5  
 Other services ..  .. .. -24.3  -27.9 -41.2 -40.9  
 Revenue balance -13.6  -15.0  -15.6  -22.3  -21.2 -4.6 -5.1 
 Current transfer balance 30.7  80.8 63.6 72.4 77.3 80.0 64.2  
Capital and financial transactions 
account 59.1 22.4 30.9 105.0  124.5 131.2 137.1  
 Capital account 12.6  124.5  53.0 66.3 580.7 82.2 55.7  
 Financial account 46.5 -102.1  -22.1  38.6 -456.2 49.1 81.4 
Errors and om issions 15.8  -23.6  3.6 6.9 42.1 -12.7 7.8  
Overall balance -16.2  -48.9  -74.6  -85.1  -15.5 -83.4 -22.7  
Financing 16.2  48.9 74.6 85.1 15.5 83.4 22.7  
Changes in official reserves 
(decrease +) -15.8  30.9 55.6 -23.0  -1.5 44.0 9.3 
 Exceptional financing 32.0  18.0 19.0 107.9  16.9 39.4 13.4  
 Residual gap 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
.. Not available. 
a Estimates. Source: Data provided by the national authorities and BEAC. 
1.3  Trade and investment trend 
1.11.  Exports from the Central African Republic declined slightly in nominal terms 
to US$103.9 million between 2005 and 2011 (Chart 1.1). Overall imports increased by 15.9% for 
the same period to stand at US$214.7 mil lion in 2011. The trade balance is running 
a US$110.8 million deficit that is structural in nature. Diamonds are the main export product (Chart 1.1) and accounted for 60.7% of exports in 2011, compared to about 25% for wood. Other 
exports include cotton, coffee, and to a lesser exte nt, tobacco. The EU is the principal market for 
Central African exports (Chart 1.2). Its share in total exports has nevertheless declined, mainly in favour of China and Japan. The EU is also the Central African Republic's leading supplier, 
accounting for nearly half its imports in 2011. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 313 - 
 
  Chart 1.1 Structure of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011 
2005 2011
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Agriculture  
31.9Other 
manufactures
4.1
Other
2.7Sorted 
industrial 
diamonds
60.7
Wood of
non-
coniferous 
species
17.2Other 
extractive 
industries
0.6
Extractive 
industries
61.2
Wood of
non-
coniferous 
species, 
sawn, sliced
7.9Other 
agriculture
6.7
Total:   US $110.7 million Total:   US $103.9 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
Agriculture  
44.6Chemicals
6.9Other semi-
finished 
products
8.1Non-electrical
machinery
4.2
Fuels
16.9Other
0.4Electrical 
machinery
4.0
Manufactures
36.5
Foodstuff
17.2
Agricultural raw 
materials
27.4Extractive 
industries
1.5Other 
manufactures 
4.4Transport 
equipment
8.8
Manufactures
63.2
Agriculture  
33.4
Foodstuff
31.2
Agricultural 
raw material
2.1Chemicals
11.7Other 
semi-
finished 
products
10.0Transport 
equipment
10.2
Other 
manufactures 
9.6
Other
0.7Non-electrical 
machinery
11.8Electrical 
machinery
9.9
Extractive 
industries
1.9 Fuels
0.8
Total:   US $185.3 million Total:   $214.7 millionPercentage
Wood of 
non-coniferous 
species
27.4Agriculture  
44.0
Other agriculture
1.1Extractive 
industries
18.2Sorted 
industrtial 
diamonds
17.7Other
extractive industries 
0.4Other
0.0
Wood of
non-coniferous species, 
sawn, sliced
15.5Other 
manufactures
2.3Diamonds (other than 
sorted industrial 
diamonds)
35.5
 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations based on data  from the UNSD Comtrade Database (SITC Rev. 3). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 314 - 
 
  Chart 1.2 Direction of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011 
2005 2011
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Others
0.0Europe
45.7
Other Asia
3.0Other Europe
0.4
Africa 
21.8Other Africa
12.0
EU (27)
45.3
America
1.3Middle East
4.8
China 
8.4
Japan 
15.0Cameroon
9.8
Total:   US $110.7 million Total:  US $103.9 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
EU (27)
21.0Africa
28.8China  
1.8
Other
Africa
13.1Others
40.7
Europe
21.9
Other 
Europe
1.0Asia
7.0
America  
1.0Other Asia
1.2
Middle East
0.5
Cameroon
15.8Japan  
4.0
EU (27)
48.3China
6.9
Asia
24.7
Others
0.1Europe
48.7Africa
19.0Middle East
3.9Other 
Europe
0.4Other
Africa
11.3
Japan 
13.7
Other Asia
4.4
America
3.7Cameroon
7.7
Total:   US $185.3 million Total:   US$214.7 millionPercentage
Europe
74.3Other Europe
15.7
Africa
15.4
Others
1.3China 0.3Other Africa
2.9EU (27)
58.7
America
0.4Middle East
5.2Cameroon
12.5
Japan 0.3
Other Asia
2.7
 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations based on data  from the UNSD Comtrade Database (SITC Rev. 3). 
1.12.  Trade with the other CEMAC countries remains low, albeit underestimated in the available 
statistics. Trade with Cameroon, the Central African Republic's main CEMAC partner, is on the decline. Owing to the diversification of sources of supply, Cameroon's share in total imports 
contracted by half to 7.7% between 2005 and 2011. The Central African Republic exports 
agricultural products to Chad and animal products  to the Republic of the Congo. Since 2011 it has 
been meeting some of its diesel fu el needs with imports from Chad. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 315 - 
 
  1.13.  Owing to its limited domestic supply capacity , the Central African Republic is a net importer 
of services, more particularly of business services (travel, freight and insurance). The imports of these services rose markedly in 2010 as a result  of the liberalization of the services sector. 
The balance of services deficit consequently widened further from US$91.1 million in 2009 
to US$113 million in 2010, and remained practically at that same level in 2011 and 2012. 
1.14.  At 5% of GDP in 2011 (common report, Chapter 1), inflows of foreign direct investment into 
the Central African Republic are above the average for Sub-Saharan Africa.
5 Yet these investments 
are not very diversified, as they go mainly to the mining sector. The risks of armed conflict 
and recurring problems of insecurity in some parts of the country are factors that discourage private investment. The reforms under way for some years now (Chapter 2), including the introduction of the Investment Charter, have managed to attract some foreign investment 
to the telecommunications and wood-processing sectors. 
1.4  Outlook 1.15.  The Central African Republic's economic growth prospects remain bound up with 
the evolution of the domestic political situation and the economic environment in the EU, its main 
export outlet. The BEAC forecasts continuing expa nsion of economic activity and a 4.5% growth 
rate in 2013. This performance is premised on the continued recovery of agricultural output 
and the revival of agro-industrial and commercial activities. It is expected that inflation will be 
reduced to a low 1.9%, which is below the multilateral convergence threshold, despite tensions arising from the increase in the prices of petroleum products at the pump. 
1.16.  Insecurity and political instability are continuing challenges to the economic development 
of the Central African Republic. The resumption of  economic activity has been proving difficult 
since the military coup in March 2013. The uncerta inty associated with the political transition 
period, which should lead to new presidential and legislative elections in the second half of 2014, 
is unlikely to attract foreign investment to the country. 
1.17.  The outlook will also depend on th e mobilization of resources for implementing 
the Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper over the 2011-2015 period.
6 T h i s  s t r a t e g y  a i m s  
to encourage strong growth that favours the poor and the vulnerable and promotes lasting human 
development. It is focused on three core areas,  namely the consolidation of peace, governance 
and the rule of law, economic recovery and regional integration, and the development of human capital and basic social services. The authorities predict that its implementation should pave 
the way for average annual growth of 7% between 2011 and 2015. The requisite funding 
is estimated at almost US$10 billion. These forecasts now seem jeopardised by the chaos that has been reigning in the country since the military coup of March 2013. 
 
                                                                 
5 World Bank (2012). 
6 Central African Republic (2009). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 316 - 
 
  2  TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 
2.1  Overview 2.1.  Since its last TPR the Central African Repu blic has launched numerous reforms, particularly 
in the realm of taxation, business start-ups and the fight against corruption. It continues 
to be plagued by social and political unrest, which is retarding its economic development 
and undermining its business climate. In the north of the country there is still a considerable risk of fighting between armed groups, including crim inal gangs. The inclusive political dialogue 
conducted in 2008 and the conclusion of a peace agreement have not permanently eliminated 
the situation of insecurity. There was yet another military coup in March 2013, when the last Constitution was suspended (that of December 2004) and institutions were dissolved.
7 
This recurrent instability coupled with other factors such as the low level of infrastructure 
development and the high cost of factors of pr oduction are limiting the effectiveness of the 
reforms undertaken. 
2.2.  Under the Constitution of December 2004 (the 7th since the proclamation of independence), 
as amended in 2010, the Central African Republic is a decentralized State, organized into regions, 
prefectures, sub-prefectures, communes and villages. The Presid ent of the Republic is the 
Head of State and of the Executive Branch. He is elected by direct universal suffrage in two rounds 
of voting for a five-year term of office renewable for one further term. He appoints 
the Prime Minister (Head of the Government) and,  on the latter's recommendation, appoints the 
other members of the Government, and determines their responsibilities by decree. The current President was elected for a period of 18 months by  the Transitional National Council set up after 
the military coup of March 2013. 
2.3.  The Parliament exercises legislative powe r. It has a single chamber and is composed 
of deputies elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The National Assembly passes 
laws, and controls the Government's activities. The latest parliamentary elections were held 
in 2011 but the resulting Parliament was dissolved as a result of the coup. The Transitional National Council is expected to exercise this function during the transition period. 
2.4.  Judicial power is exercised by the Court of Cassation, the Council of State, 
the Court of Auditors and the various courts and tribunals. It is independent of the executive and legislative branches. Commercial litigation is heard in first instance by the Commercial Court, on appeal by the Civil and Commercial Chamber of the Court of Appeal, and on appeal 
for annulment by the Civil and Commercial Chamber of the Court of Cassation. 
2.5.  The conception, implementation and evalua tion of trade policy falls under the Ministry 
responsible for trade and industry.
8 It deals with issues relating to the Central African Republic's 
participation in the WTO and in regional, subregional and bilateral trade mechanisms; it acts as 
the secretariat of the National Trade Negotiations Committee.9 
2.6.  Other Ministries are involved in preparin g and implementing these policies, in particular, 
the Ministries responsible for the economy, finance, foreign affairs, planning, international 
cooperation, agriculture, tourism, transport, justice, mining, energy, health, employment, telecommunications, urban planning, water and forests, small and medium-size enterprises, and arts and culture. The following entities may be consulted on an ad hoc basis: 
 Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mining and Crafts (CCIMA); 
 The Central African National Employers' Union (UNPC), an organization comprising 
professional associations from the sectors of banking, insurance, construction, trade, 
forestry, services and industry; 
 the Interprofessional Group of the Central Af rican Republic (GICA), an entity bringing 
together companies with annual turnover of at least CFAF 1 billion); 
                                                                 
7 It was the fifth military coup resulting in a chan ge of government since th e Central African Republic 
gained independence on 13 August 1960. 
8 Online information. Viewed at: http://www.minco-rca.org [21 March 2013]. 
9 The National Trade Negotiations Committee is a functioning committee. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 317 - 
 
   the Boubanguéré Association (street vendors) consisting of operators in the 
informal sector. 
2.7.  The Government and deputies are all empowered to introduce draft laws which after being 
adopted by the National Assembly become laws on ce they are promulgated by the Head of State 
and published in the Official Journal . International agreements and treaties are negotiated, 
signed and ratified by the President of the Repu blic. The authorization of the National Assembly 
is required for any ratification or withdrawal. A pproved or ratified agreements and treaties take 
precedence over domestic laws once they ha ve been published, provided that they are 
implemented by the other party. Consequently, laws and regulations are classified in descending order of authority as follows: international treaties and agreements, Constitution, laws, ordinances, decrees, orders, and decisions. 
2.8.  The rules relating to the following areas are established by law: commerce; 
privatization/nationalization of companies; the status of foreign nationals and immigration; the tax base, rates and collection procedures for taxes of all kinds; and the fundamental principles of civil 
and commercial rights and obligations. The Central African Republic's principal trade-related laws 
and regulations are listed in Table 2.1. A draft commercial code and a draft investment code are under consideration by the Government. 
Table 2.1 Principal trade-related laws and regulations, March 2013 
Area Instrument/text 
Customs legislation CEMAC Customs Code; CEMAC CET and exceptions specific to the CAR); 
Status of trader Ordinance No. 83.083 of 31 December 1983 regulating commercial 
activities and the provision of servic es in the Central African Republic; 
Customs valuation CEMAC Customs Code; 
2013 Finance Law; 
Preshipment inspection Interministerial Order No. 182/MPEFBC/MCIPSP of 13 February 2004 
on implementation of the contract dated 17 November 2003 between the 
Central African Republic an d BIVAC Bureau Veritas; 
Order No. 342 of 27 August 1999 establishing the modalities for 
implementing measures to optimize the import verification programme; 
BIVAC/CAR Contract of 17 November 2003 (imports); 
BIVAC/CAR Contract of 1 March 2005 (wood exports); 
VAT, excise duties, and customs 
border levies General Tax Code, January 2012 edition; 
2008 and 2009 Finance Laws; 
Import prohibitions and licences Decree No. 86.328 of 20 November 1986 establishing regulations 
on imports and exports in th e Central African Republic; 
Sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures Law No. 65/61 of 3 June 1965 regulating livestock rearing in the 
Central African Republic; Law No. 65/62 of 3 June 1965; Law No. 63/350 of 4 January 1963 on the protection of plants and plant products; 
Investment Law No. 01.10 of 16 July 2001 introducing an Investment Charter in the 
Central African Republic (under review); 
Procedures and regulations for the establishment of private commercial enterprises OHADA Uniform Acts; 
Protection of patents, industrial 
designs, and trademarks, 
new plant varieties Revised Bangui Agreement (1999); 
Protection of copyright 
and related rights Ordinance No. 85.002 of 5 January 1985 on copyright (under review); 
Competition and prices Law No. 92.002 of 26 May 1992 on price liberalization and the regulation 
of competition; 
2008 and 2009 Finance Laws; 
State-owned enterprises Law No. 95.007 of 15 August 1995 (privatization); 
Law No. 08.011 of 13 February 2008 on the organization of the institutional and legal framework applicable to enterprises and public offices; 
Government procurement Law No. 08.017 of 6 June 2008, establishing the government 
procurement code and public service concessions in the 
Central African Republic; 
Forestry Law No. 08.022 of 17 October 2008 on the Forestry Code; 
Fauna Order No. 84.045 of 27 July 1984 on the protection of wildlife and the 
regulation of hunting in the Centra l African Republic (under review); WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 318 - 
 
  Area Instrument/text 
Fisheries Ordinance No. 71/090 of 6 August 1971 (draft code is being prepared); 
Environment Law No. 07.018 of 28 December 2007 on the Environment Code; 
Mining 
Radioactive minerals Law No. 09.005 of 29 April 2009 on the Mining Code; 
Law No. 06-031 of 27 September 2006, on radioactive minerals in the Central African Republic; 
Upstream oil 
Downstream oil 
 
 
 
 
Biofuels Ordinance No. 93.007 of 25 May 1993 on the Petroleum Code; 
Law No. 07.005 of 24 April 2007 reorganizing the downstream oil 
subsector in the CAR, liberalizing th e subsector and laying down general 
rules for the exercise of an y activity in the industry; 
Law No. 07.006 of 24 April 2007 establishing the Agency for the 
Stabilization and Regulation of Petroleum Product Prices (ASRP); 
Law No. 07.007 of 24 April 2007 establishing the Central African 
Petroleum Product Storage Company (SOCASP); 
Law No. 08.018 of 6 June 2008 on biofuels in the Central African Republic, 
creating the Biofuels Promotion Agency; 
Electricity Ordinance No. 05.001 of 1 January 2005 on the Electricity Code; 
Decree No. 10.095 of 18 March 2010 establishing the legal regime, the conditions of declaration for the issue authorizations to independent operators, independent producers, independent electricity producers and the taxation procedures; Decree No. 10.091 of 8 March 2000 approving a standard contract for public service concessions for electricity generation; 
Decree No. 10.092 adopting the national energy policy document; Standard contract for public service concessions for elec tricity generation;
 
Water/sanitation Law No. 06.001 of 12 April 2006 on the Water Code of 
the Central African Republic; 
Decree No. 06.170 adopting the national water and sanitation 
policy document; 
Road transport Decree No. 90.043 of 13 February 1990 organizing road transport in the 
Central African Republic; 
River transport CEMAC/DRC Inland Waterway Navigation Code of 17 December 1999; 
Civil aviation Law No. 65.063 of 29 July 1965; 
CEMAC Civil Aviation Code; 
Telecommunications Law No. 07.020 of 28 December 2007 regulating telecommunications 
in the Central African Republic; 
Law No. 07.021 of 28 December 2007 setting the taxes and fees relating 
to the establishment and/or operation of telecommunications networks 
and services; 
Postal services Decree No. 93.054 of 19 February 1993; 
Tourism Decree No. 10.348 01.242 of 14 September 2001 establishing the general 
framework for the exercise of tourism activities 
in the Central African Republic; 
Employment Law No. 9 of 29 January 2009 on the Labour Code in the CAR; 
Town planning Laws No. 61/263 and 62/359 on town planning, as amended 
by Ordinance No. 71/003 of 16 January 1971 (currently being revised); 
Law No. 63/441 of 9 January 1964 regarding the national domain 
(currently being revised); 
Law No. 09.003 of 16 January 2009 on the orientation of national 
territorial development policy; 
Draft law containing the Code on State Land and Property in the CAR; 
Banking and microfinance se rvices BEAC and COBAC; 
Insurance CIMA Insurance Code. 
Source: Information provided by the national authorities. 
2.9.  Since the entry into force of the OHADA Tr eaty in 1995, the legal framework for business has 
in principle been governed by the different OHADA Uniform Acts (common report, Chapter 2).10 
The alignment of the national laws with these provisions is in fact not yet complete. The draft Commercial Code, which is now in the process of adoption, should confirm the harmonization of all 
national provisions with those of the OHADA. 
                                                                 
10 The revised OHADA Treaty was ratified in 2009. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 319 - 
 
  2.10.  Since the last TPR, the situation as regards the perception of corruption has improved, to go 
by the Transparency International classification.11 Between 2007 and 2012 the corruption 
perception index rose from 2.0 to 2.6, and the country is ranked 144th of 182 countries (compared 
to 162nd of 180 countries in 2007). This improvement may be a reflection of the many initiatives 
launched, including the establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Committee tasked with 
formulating and implementing a national strategy in this area12; the creation of the 
National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF)13; and the ratification of two international 
conventions (the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption 
and the United Nations Convention against Corruption).14 The anti-corruption strategy was 
adopted in 2006 and the ANIF is now functioning. 
2.11.  In the mining sector, the Central African Republic joined the Extractive Industries 
Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2009 and achi eved "compliant country" status in March 2011. 
In this context, an independent entity collects and publishes tax revenue declared as collected by the Government from enterprises in the sector, as well as declared payments by these 
companies to the State. The reports so far published cover revenues for the years 2006 to 2010.
15 
2.2  Trade policy objectives 
2.12.  The Central African Republic's trade policy is framed by commitments made at the 
multilateral and regional levels (common report, Chapter 2), and by national laws. The ultimate 
aim of this policy is to contribute to poverty reduction by further liberalizing the trade regime, diversifying exports, speeding up the privatization programme and sectoral reforms (agriculture, mining, services and industry), and through trade facilitation. 
2.13.  The sectoral strategy on trade and the private sector constitutes the operational framework 
for this policy. More specifically, the actions planned should enable the Government to realize its vision of "developing a dynamic and competitive private sector that creates jobs 
and contributes to poverty reduction", by 2015. 
2.3  Trade agreements and arrangements 2.3.1  World Trade Organisation 
2.14.  The Central African Republic is an original member of the WTO. Between 1995 and 2010 
and since 2013 it has been subject to "administrative measures" regarding sanctions against countries that have remained in arrears in the payment of their contributions, and this is limiting its participation in WTO decision-making bodies.
16 It participates in activities organized by the 
WTO, though not on a regular basis. Between 2007 and 2012, the CAR participated in 64 activities 
(all categories) organized in the framework of trade-related technical assistance, of which 48 were organized by the WTO.
17 The highest level of participation was recorded in 2010 (28 activities). 
The trade-related training programmes and activities relating to trade facilitation have been those 
most followed (19 and nine participations, respectively). 
2.15.  As an LDC, the Central African Republic participated in the Integrated Framework (IF) 
programme since 2005, and automatically in the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) since its 
inception. It validated its first Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) in 2007. 
                                                                 
11 Transparency International online information.  Viewed at: http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012 
[28 February 2013]. 
12 Decree No. 08.133 of 31 March 2008 establishing the National Anti-Corruption Committee. 
13 The National Financial Investigation Agency was created under community legislation 
(Regulation No. 01/03-CEMAC-UMAC-CM of 4 April 2003 on the prevention and punishment of money 
laundering and the financing of terrorism in Central Africa). 
14 Law No. 06.011 of 3 July 2006 ratifying the United Nations Convention against Corruption. 
15 The reports are published on th e website http://www.itierca.org. 
16 In 2010, the Central African Republic accepted a payment plan that rescheduled its arrears over 
30 years (WTO 2011). It respected the plan until 2012 but in 2013 reverted to category 3 covering countries subject to administrative measures regarding sanctions against countries that have remained in arrears in the 
payment of their contributions. 
17 Online information from the Global Trade-Related Technical Assistance Database (GTAD). Viewed at: 
http://gtad.wto.org/index.as px?lg=fr [27 February 2013]. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 320 - 
 
  The recommendations of this study were incorporated in its second poverty reduction strategy 
paper (PRSP II, 2011-2015).18 The DTIS is now being revised. 
2.16.  The action matrix was validated in 2007 an d the National IF Implementation Unit created 
in 2008. Between 2008 and 2009, the Central African Republic carried out a Window II project on 
the promotion of sesame exports. Category 2 projects are being prepared in the priority 
agricultural sectors (sesame, corn (maize) and palm oil), and tourism.19 A category 2 project 
designed to boost the capacity to supply agricultural products was approved in September 2012. 
Two other projects related to improving the industrial environment and formulating a national 
investment and competition policy are currently being validated. 
2.17.  The Central African Republic is facing some difficulty in implementing some 
of its obligations, in particular as pertains to customs valuation, notifications and the elimination 
of quantitative restrictions. According to the authorities, technical assistance is needed 
in the following areas: 
 implementation of WTO agreements, in particular regarding customs valuation, 
notification, and licensing procedures; 
 building the capacity of the Trade Negotiat ions Committee in negotiating techniques 
and fundraising strategies; 
 strengthening the WTO reference centre with tools for analysing trade policy, 
documentation and a high-speed Internet connection; 
 support for the creation of a certification, standards and quality centre, 
and capacity-building in standardization; 
 support for the University of Bangui in introducing trade policy courses into 
the university curricula. 
2.3.2  Relations with the European Union (EU) 
2.18.  The Central African Republic benefits from trade preferences under the 
EU's "Everything But Arms" programme, which allows  it to export everything but arms to the EU 
duty-free and ex-quota. Like the other CEMAC countries, it participates in the negotiations 
on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) be tween the ACP States and the European Union 
in the framework of the CEMAC extended to include Sao Tome and Principe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (common report, Chapter 2). 
2.19.  For years now the trade balance with the EU has consistently shown a deficit owing 
to the limited number of export products and the hi gh level of imports of staples goods. The trade 
deficit with the EU was estimated at CFAF 62.8 billion in 2011.
20 
2.3.3  Other agreements and arrangements 
2.20.  The Central African Republic benefits from the trade preferences of other developed 
countries in keeping with their national system s of preferences. It ceased to be eligible 
under AGOA in 2004. It is a member of the following regional and subregional organizations: 
the African Union (and Economic Commission for Africa), the Economic Community of Central 
African States (ECCAS), and the CEMAC (common report, Chapter 2). 
                                                                 
18 Central African Republic (2011). 
19 EIF online information. Viewed at: h ttp://www.enhancedif.org/FR%20web%20pages/ 
Where%20we%20work_FR/CAR_FR.htm [12 February 2013]. 
20 EU online information. Viewed at: http:/ /eeas.europa.eu/delega tions/central_africa/ 
eu_central_africa/trade_relation/index_fr.htm [12 February 2013]. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 321 - 
 
  2.4  Investment Regime 
2.21.  Ranked last of 185 countries in terms of the "ease of doing business" criterion 
of the World Bank's 2013 Doing Business report, the Central African Republic is still the country where it is most difficult to do business in the world. It was classified 167
th of 175 countries 
in 2006.21 Owing to its landlocked situation and the di fficulty of transit, average import time 
exceeds two months. 
2.22.  The business climate is characterized by a constant state of political insecurity and legal 
uncertainty stemming from the latent potential for conflict, high costs of factors of production, 
inadequate infrastructure and limited and costly access to credit. The reforms undertaken since the last TPR have simplified the tax environment for businesses and improved business start-up procedures. 
2.23.  The investment charter is the main regulatory framework for investments. It was adopted 
in 2001
22 and is a transposition of community provisions in this field (common report, Chapter 3). 
It covers companies active in the following areas: processing of products of plant or animal origin; 
manufacturing or processing; energy production; house-building of an economic, social 
and industrial nature; public works and civil engineering; collection, storage, packaging 
and processing of agricultural and food products; study and research; merchandise transport; 
laboratory analysis, testing or production of chemicals and pharmaceuticals; book production 
and printing; assembly and maintenance of industrial, transport, telecommunications and electronics equipment; and manufacture of chemical and food products to be used as inputs by other industrial enterprises. 
2.24.  In addition to the various guarantees (including non-discrimination, freedom of movement 
and the free transfer of earnings), newly created companies engaging in one of the eligible activities may benefit from customs, tax and land-related measures envisaged at community level 
(common report, Chapter 3), more particularly: 
 tax exemption for corporate profits for the first three years of operation; 
 the possibility of degressive or accelerate d amortization and authorization to carry 
forward losses to subsequent periods during the first years of operation; 
 for companies with subsidiaries, the possibility to deduct the income from shares 
or ownership interests in those subsidiaries from their taxable profits; 
 tax reduction when profits are reinvested. 
2.25.  In the case of the expansion of a compan y, the period of exemption from corporation tax 
is reduced to the first two years of production. Registration fees are reduced by 50% in cases of company formation, new equity issues, merg ers, or transfers of shares and holdings. 
2.26.  Exemption from corporation tax may be granted for a longer period depending on the level 
of investment made. It is three years for companies whose investment level is between CFAF 100 million and CFAF 1 billion, and five years for investments of at 
least CFAF 1 billion; it may be extended for two years. The advantages also depend on location: 
companies located 100 km from the capital benefit from an additional year, those established between 100 and 300 km from the capital, two ye ars, and those located beyond, three years. 
Only the customs advantages are accorded during the additional period. 
2.27.  Some (national) provisions prescribe a tax reduction for companies that invest in human 
resource training or environmental protection. These companies can benefit from a 50% reduction of the costs incurred for the training or upgrading of technical personnel, and 25% of the costs for 
environmental protection. This advantage is limited to the three-year exemption period. 
                                                                 
21 World Bank (2005) and (2012). 
22 Law No. 01-010 of 16 July 2001 introducing an In vestment Charter in the Central African Republic. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 322 - 
 
  2.28.  Other measures arise from the application of the provisions of the revised OHADA Uniform 
Act relating to General Commercial Law, namely, the elimination of publication costs when creating a company (simply displaying the information publicly at the Commercial Court or posting it to the GUFE website will suffice), and the possibility to provide a sworn statement in lieu of a copy 
of a police record (common report, Chapter 2). Pr eviously, obtaining approval and a professional 
trader's card from the Ministry responsible for trade had been prerequisites for engaging in any commercial activity. Since the reforms of 2010 and with the institution of a single information 
point for business formalities (GUFE)
23, these requirements have been eliminated. 
The trader's card and registration with the CCIMA have become optional; registration with the social security is no longer a prerequisite for starting a business. 
2.29.  The granting of approval is determined  mainly on the basis of local added value: 
the minimum acceptable rate is 35%. The other criteria include the impacts of the investment 
in terms of job creation, advantages for the State, its contribution in terms of external funding, the 
trade balance, and the environmental impact. Between 2006 and 2012, some 50 companies have 
been approved under the Investment Char ter with a projected total investment 
of CFAF 202.4 billion (Table 2.2). 
2.30.  Companies enjoying these advantages must meet the following obligations: 
open an account with a local banking institution; keep proper accounts locally in accordance with 
the accounting standards in force; promote the re cruitment of nationals and organize vocational 
training; and respect the various laws in force (environment, health, safety and hygiene at work). They are required to provide accounting and financial documents, as well as the various reports 
and statistics needed for assessing compliance with their undertakings. 
2.31.  The Investment Code is being revised.
24 The revision concerns, inter alia , its scope 
of application, a better definition of the guarantees, rights and obligations of investors, and the 
role of the private sector. 
2.32.  Mining and forestry activities fall under specific codes (Chapter 4). 
2.33.  Improving the business climate is one of th e areas in which the Government plans to invest 
in order to revive economic growth.25 A joint committee was set up for that purpose in 2009. 
It comprises representatives of government authorities, the private sector, civil society and development partners and is charged with tabling measures and reforms to facilitate the creation and development of enterprises and protect investments. The work of that committee 
has contributed to the aforementioned measures. 
2.34.  The enforcement of the Investment Charter is the responsibility of the National Investment 
Commission (CNI). It processes applications for authorization, monitors the implementation 
of investment programmes by the authorized companies, and proposes any measure that could 
improve the implementation of the Charter. 
Table 2.2 Number of authorizations gr anted and investments planned, 2006-2012 
 2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011 2012 Total  
Number of authorizations granted 4  6 11 9 4 9 8 51 
To nationals 4 3 4 5 2 6 6 30 
To foreigners 0  3 7 4 2 3 2 21 
Number of authorizations extended 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 
Number of authorizations withdrawn 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Investment planned for the first year 
(CFAF billion) 17.4 53.7 40.0 25.8 2.5 4.1 58.9 202.4  
Source: Data provided by the national authorities. 
                                                                 
23 Decree No. 12.026 of 17 February 2012 on the creati on, organization and func tioning of the single 
window. 
24 A draft Code is currently being adopted by the National Assembly. 
25 Central African Republic (2011). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 323 - 
 
  2.35.  Since 2008, most of the procedures related to the creation of enterprises have been brought 
together in the GUFE. These formalities and the associated charges are set out in Table 2.3. 
For services rendered, the GUFE collects fees amount ing to 5% of the total cost of formalities for 
natural persons, and 10% in the case of legal enti ties. With the establishment of GUFE, processing 
time for dossiers was reduced from seven to two days. It could be reduced to a few hours once 
computerization is complete. 
Table 2.3 Formalities and fees a ssociated with business start-ups 
Formalities Responsible entities  Fees and observations 
Registration of statutes, 
the minutes of companies' constituent general meetings and other acts Taxation and State 
Property Registration fees: dependent on registered capital 
(minimum charge CFAF 70,000); Notarised declaratio n of the statutes: 
CFAF 20,000; Minutes: CFAF 20,000; Revenue stamps: CFAF 1,000/page; 
Registration in the trade and 
personal property credit register  Registry of the 
commercial court  Natural persons CFAF 15,000; 
Legal persons CFAF 30,000; 
Paying up of equity capital and opening of a bank account Notary and bank  
Inscription in the register 
of companies CCIMA Optional: the fees are CFAF 15,000 for sole 
proprietorships and CFAF 50,000 for companies; 
Preparation of the professional 
trader's card  CCIMA Natural person: CFAF 1,000; 
Legal person: CFAF 1,500;  
Declaration for the purposes 
of registration by a tax 
identification number (NIF) Directorate-General 
of Taxation CFAF 3,000 (stamp duty); 
Registration in the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) CNSS 22% of the wage bill 
(social security contributions); 
Authorization to pursue the activity 
(if applicable) Line ministries 0 to 100 million; 
Source: Data provided by the national authorities. 
2.36.  The GUFE handled 2,034 dossiers in 2009, of  which 897 had to do with the creation of new 
economic units, and 1,137 dossiers with the regu larisation of legal documents amongst other 
formalities. Branch offices are currently being set up in the communities of Mba їki, Bouar, 
Bambari, Berberati, Bossangoa, Bria and Bangassou. Neither the branch offices nor the GUFE website are operating. 
2.37.  A reform of the tax administration under way since 2006 also concerned the business 
environment, through the following measures: 
 Harmonization of the tax system with the OHADA provisions, and restructuring based 
on the size of enterprises: the régime réel normal  (standard tax regime) (for large 
companies), the régime réel simplifié  (simplified tax regime) (for medium-size 
companies), and the régime de base (basic regime) (for small businesses); 
 halving of the statutes registration fees
26 for the creation of companies; 
 reduction of the corporate tax rate to 20% for companies carrying out agricultural 
activities27; 
 abolition of the general withholding tax in favour of a "single global tax" at the rate 
of 12% of turnover. This tax is applicable to companies with an annual turnover of less 
than CFAF 30 million. 
2.38.  To improve the quality of public servic es, the Government has set up a service within 
the Ministry of Finance, (User reception desk) to  receive complaints from users of government 
services. These complaints can lead to investigations and prosecutions. 
                                                                 
26 The taxes are: transfer of businesses, new buildi ngs, leases, financing of agropastoral and fishery 
operations. 
27 It is 30% for other companies. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 324 - 
 
  2.39.   The Central African Republic has no free zones. An interministerial committee for the 
creation of industrial zones was set up in 2010.28 The committee was placed under the authority 
of the Minister responsible for Industry, and spec ifically tasked with identifying and subdividing 
sites for industrial zones, serving as an interface between the Government and potential operators, 
and harmonizing oversight procedures. A site has been identified 35 km from Bangui on the way 
to Boali, and another near the M'poko International Airport (Bangui). 
2.40.  The creation of an investment and export development agency was foreseen in the draft 
investment code, and is now under study. 
2.4.1  Settlement of inve stment-related disputes 
2.41.  State-investor disputes are settled in the national court system, or in accordance with 
the provisions of international treaties and conventions to which the Central African Republic 
is a party (common report, Chapter 2), na mely the OHADA Common Court of Justice 
and Arbitration, the International Centre for Settl ement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and the 
Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of other 
States of 10 March 1965. 
2.42.  The Central African Republic has signed bilateral investment protection treaties with 
Germany (1968) and Switzerland (1973).29 A bilateral reciprocity agreement grants 
French nationals access to the Central African Republic's courts on the same terms as nationals.30 
Finally, the Cotonou Agreement contains provisions to protect the investments of nationals of the European Union in the Central African Republic. 
 
                                                                 
28 Order No. 0017/PM/CAB of 30 December 2010 on the establishment of an interministerial committee 
for the creation of industrial zones in the Central African Republic. 
29 Treaties have been signed with Egypt and Morocco but have not yet been ratified (online information, 
viewed at: http://www.unctadxi.org/templates/DocSearch.aspx?id=779). 
30 Establishment Agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Government 
of the Central African Republic, signed  at Bangui on 26 September 1994. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 325 - 
 
  3  TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
3.1  Measures directly affecting imports 3.1.1  Registration 3.1.  Any economic operator wishing to engage in a commercial activity, including foreign trade, 
must obtain approval from the Ministry responsible for trade
31, and the professional 
trader's card.32 To obtain approval, an application must be submitted accompanied by supporting 
documentation; in the case of natural persons, approval consists of a simple authorization and for 
commercial companies it is in the form of a ministerial order. Traders must be listed 
in the commercial register. These conditions of establishment are the same for nationals and non-nationals. Until 2012 the approval was recommended for all operators wishing to invest in the Central African Republic. Since Decree No . 12.026 of 17 February 2012, this approval has 
no longer been required for all business start-up formalities (Chapter 2). The related information 
is now contained in the Commercial Register. 
3.2.  Although the trader's card is optional, its holders are required to pay stamp duty (which 
varies depending on turnover, from zero for a turnover of less than 500,000, 2,000 for 500,000 
to 3 million, and up to 40,000 for other amounts)
33, as well as the business licence fee.34 
Trader's cards and business licences are gran ted on an annual basis and are renewable. 
It is prohibited to engage in production and wholesale and retail trading in the same premises.35 
3.3.  Foreign nationals, including those from the CEMAC area, must produce their foreign 
resident's card, obtainable from the Director ate-General of Immigration against payment. 
The prerequisites for foreigners to engage in comm ercial activities are the same as for nationals; 
enrolment in the trade and personal property cred it registry for a fee of 15,000 for natural persons 
and 30,000 for legal persons, as well as formality fees of 5% and 10% respectively. The number of registrations for engaging in import-export tr ade has been increasing steadily since the last 
review, even tripling between 2008 and 2012 (Table 3.1). 
Table 3.1 Number of regist rations for engaging in import-export trade, 2008-2012 
Year/description 2008a 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total 
Services sector 32 60 73 77 94 336 
a 2008 (August–December). 
Source: Single Information Po int for Business Formalities. 
3.4.  The registration of statutes and enrolment in  the trade and personal property credit registry 
are done via the Single Information Point for Business Formalities (GUFE). Other formalities must be carried out at the responsible departments/dire ctorates. According to the authorities, the tasks 
of the GUFE are, inter alia , to: simplify the procedural formalities for the creation, modification, 
dissolution or termination of activities; receive, inform, guide and advise domestic and foreign investors; help improve the business environment to make it attractive to investment; regularly 
publish statistics on enterprises established; and to set up a related database. However, and also 
according to the authorities, it is not currently possible to complete all formalities via the Single Information Point, and it is therefore single in name only. 
3.5.  According to the authorities, all imports an d exports must be covered by an electronic cargo 
tracking note (ECTN) issued by the Directorate-General of Customs; the Central African Republic does not have a national shippers' council. 
                                                                 
31 Ordinance No. 83.083 of 31 December 1983. 
32 Decree No. 83.550 of 31 December 1983. 
33 Interministerial Order No. 008/MCIACPSP/MFB of 13 April 2003. The stamp duty to be paid 
by the trader is determined according to turnover. 
34 Article 196 of the General Tax Code, January 2006 edition, supplemented by Article 17 of Law 
No. 05.015 of 31 December 2005. Any importer engaged in professional activities who is not registered 
and not in possession of a business licence must pay in advance the provis ional import-export business licence 
fee at the "one-stop" window (Circular Note No. 170/MFB/CAB/DGID/DGAID/DELFSC of 21 February 2006). 
35 Article 6 of Law No. 92.002 of 26 May 1992. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 326 - 
 
  3.1.2  Preshipment inspection 
3.6.  Since 1996, preshipment inspection has been mandatory in the CAR for all imports 
and exports of a f.o.b. value of CFAF 500,000 or higher. Some products are exempted automatically, whilst other exemptions may be permitted.
36 Applications for exemptions must 
be submitted by the importer in writing to the Mi nistry responsible for trade. Some products are 
exempt from preshipment inspection, namely: precious metals, works of art, explosives, postal parcels, the plants and seeds and floricultural products.
37 Precious stones are inspected by 
the BECDOR before export. 
3.7.  Since June 2006, BIVAC Veritas has been retained by the Government to carry out 
preshipment inspection on behalf of the CAR.38 Under the contract, BIVAC inspection covers the 
verification of documents, quality, quantity, pric e, origin, tariff position, customs value of goods 
imported into the CAR, sealing of containers, eligibility of goods for a particular customs 
procedure, as well as specific aspects (for exam ple, the control of pharmaceuticals must cover the 
dates of manufacture and the use-by dates). At least five days must be allowed for preshipment 
inspection. This measure is not based on any new regulation. Intra-CEMAC imports are also 
subject to preshipment inspection. 
3.8.  Inspection is done at the place of produc tion, storage or dispatch and the importer must 
provide the BIVAC Bureau Veritas with the commerc ial import declaration (DIC) validated by the 
inspection company, approved and signed by the Mi nistry responsible for trade; Also required are 
a copy of the bank receipt showing registration  of the import; and a copy of the pro forma 
invoice/purchase order and a receipt for the inspection fees. The inspection procedure gives rise 
to an inspection report. Once the inspection is done, BIVAC issues the verification certificate, 
which is then required for the customs clearance of the goods. 
3.9.  The preshipment inspection fees payable by the importer are relatively high (common report, 
Chapter 3.1.2) The fees are borne by the importer and are 1% of the f.o.b. value, with 
a minimum of CFAF 140,000 (€213) for commercial import declarations subject to inspection, and CFAF 20,000 for other commercial import declarations. Bivac issues no document other than 
the DIC. 
3.10.  At the rate of 1%, the minimum fee (fla t rate) of CFAF 140,000 corresponds in principle 
to imports worth CFAF 14 million a relatively high amount for individual imports into the Central African Republic. Put another way, in practice, most of the imports subject to 
inspection are worth less than this amount, and ar e therefore subject to rates higher than 1%; the 
maximum rate is 28% (corresponding to the flat rate of CFAF 140,000 on imports worth CFAF 500,000). The importer must also pay 19% VAT on the fee. The cost of this mandatory 
inspection programme to the Central African economy is enormous. Despite its objectives, 
the mandatory nature of this inspection increases the cost of imports by the amount of the fees (especially the flat rate) payable by the import er, and duplicates the work of the Customs. 
Besides, neither the "commercial import declaration" made to BIVAC nor the related import 
verification certificate exists in electronic form. The BIVAC inspection company is not electronically linked to the computerized customs platform (ASYCUDA), and this complicates and further slows down the import process. 
3.11.  According to authorities, two scanners have  been bought with funding from China in the 
framework of cooperation between both countries, and a 0.5% scanner management fee is levied on all imports, whether scanned or not. 
3.12.  At the importer's request and upon auth orization by the customs, inspection at the 
destination is possible subject to a penalty of CFAF 300,000 (20% of the customs value in case of a repeat offence) in addition to the inspection fees. 
                                                                 
36 The following are exempt from BIVAC inspection: pr ecious stones; precious metals; works of art; 
ammunition and arms other than for hunting and/or sporting purp oses, similar materials and equipment 
imported by the army itself for its own use; live animals; printed and develo ped cinematographic films; 
regularly published newspapers and periodicals; and postal parcels. 
37 Interministerial Order No. 182 of 13 February 2004 issued by the Minister for Planning, Economy, 
Finance, Budget and International Cooperation. 
38 Interministerial Order No. 038/MFB/MCIPME of 17 June 2006. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 327 - 
 
  3.13.  Technical assistance is being sought so as to improve implementation of the multilateral 
provisions on customs valuation. 
3.1.3  Customs procedures 3.14.  Like all other CEMAC countries, the CA R has been applying the Community Customs Code
39 
since its adoption in 2001 to the importation, exportation and re-exportation of goods. 
The customs regimes in force in the CAR are those envisaged under Community provisions (common report, Chapter 3.1.3). 
3.15.  The documents required for customs procedures in the CAR are: the license to engage 
in foreign trade; the bill of lading; the purchase invoice; the freight invoice; the certificate of insurance; proof of prior registration; and, if appropriate, the original of the electronic cargo 
tracking note (ECTN); the certificate of origin and the phytosanitary certificate, the commercial 
import declaration (DIC), the Bivac inspection ve rification certificate (ADV), and the waybill. 
The CAR has not yet ratified the Kyoto Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures. 
3.16.  Customs clearance is done either by the owners of the goods in the case of imports for 
personal purposes, or necessarily by CEMAC-appr oved customs agents (forwarders) in the case 
of commercial imports. In March 2013, there were 19 agencies of approved customs agents 
established in the CAR. Applications for approval  are examined by the DGDDI National Approvals 
Committee, upon whose favourable opin ion the CEMAC grants the approval. 
3.17.  All imports/exports must be declared.
40 Some 56.3% of the total value of declarations 
is handled electronically (using ASYCUDA). At present, 41.6% of the value of oil imports, and 2% 
of the value of imports via provincial customs posts are not computerized. 
3.18.  A three-channel risk management system is currently in place: green (immediate 
release-IR), orange (random check) and red (manda tory check). This system is operating only at 
the four computerized offices in Bangui (56.3% of the overall value of imports). 
3.19.  Generally speaking, the Community customs provisions (including on transit) apply in 
the CAR (common report, Chapter 3, 3.1.3). However, the CAR has no accelerated or simplified 
customs clearance procedure. When the clearance credit procedure is used, the nationally fixed 
rate of increase is 1% . 
3.20.   There are three committees (origin, value, price) at the DGDDI for the settlement 
of disputes relating to each of these areas. Th e parties may make appeals via the Minister with 
responsibility for finance, the CEMAC Commission, and the WCO. 
3.21.  In 2006, observers spoke of a problem of corruption within the Central African 
administration, particularly the customs department, and took the view that officials became 
corrupt because of the numerous arrears in the pa yment of their wages. It would seem that there 
was some improvement, however, following reforms and the dissemination of the code of ethics. 
3.22.   Because the Central African Republic has no  direct access to the sea, some 80% of imports 
arrive via the port of Douala in Cameroon and travel 1,500 km from Douala to Bangui; the 
remainder is generally routed via the port of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo. 
3.23.  Economic operators estimated in 2006 that some 70% of the imports along the 
Douala-Bangui corridor were "smuggled" goods, despite preshipment inspection. Aware of the 
malfunctioning of the customs administration, the Central African authorities reorganized it 
in 2007. Since then, and with the introduction of the single window in Douala, a pre-payment is 
made on all goods bound for the CAR to prevent th eir discharge on Cameroonian territory or along 
the way. 
                                                                 
39 Regulation No. 5/01-UDEAC-097-CM-06. 
40 Decree No. 86-328 of 20 November 1986. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 328 - 
 
  3.24.  Since 2001, the external offices of the Central African customs in the ports of Douala in 
Cameroon and Pointe-Noire in the Congo have been  responsible for monitoring transit operations 
to and from the Central African Republic. They are responsible for issuing transit documents and collecting charges of CFAF 53,000 per transit document (€81). 
3.25.  Since 2005, under the administrative a ssistance agreement between the Cameroonian 
and Central African customs authorities signed on 28 April 2005, the Central African authorities 
have set up a single window in the port of Douala for transit to or from the Central African 
Republic in order to carry out the initial customs formalities for goods; there are also other 
controls at checkpoints set up along the road corridor before the containers are finally cleared at the Bangui road terminal; 
3.26.  The UNITEC-BENIN company tasked with conducting the initial customs formalities 
at the "one-stop" window for transit to and from the CAR, in Douala and along the corridor with 
the Republic of the Congo. This company carried out the following customs procedures: prepayment of duties and taxes on goods when they arrive at the port of unloading, including 
those on second-hand vehicles; collection of an advance (flat-rate minimum tax) on corporation 
tax (IS) or personal income tax (IR), unless the names of the companies or persons concerned appear on a list of taxpayers that meet their tax obligations; collection of port fees, for example, 
those on vehicles, goods in containers, bulk goods, phytosanitary control, and the electronic cargo 
tracking note. UNITEC-BENIN was remunerated acco rding to its performance in increasing revenue 
on behalf of the State.
41 The single window is composed of officers from the DGDDI, the Treasury, 
and the Taxation Department and has taken over from UNITEC. 
3.27.  In principle, the Congo has applied the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement since 2001, 
and its provisions have been incorporated verbatim into the CEMAC Customs Code and regulations on the matter (common report, Chapter 3, 3.1.3).
42 The CAR is nonetheless experiencing 
difficulties in effectively applying the Agreement. The CAR's customs department in fact makes use 
of reference values. In practice, any declared value that is lower than the corresponding reference value is deemed to have been undervalued and is automatically adjusted, and this is indicative 
of some problems in implementing the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement. 
3.1.4  Rules of origin 3.28.  The CEMAC rules of origin (common report, Chapter 3.1.9) are applied nationally 
in the CAR. No company or product from the CAR has been approved since the introduction 
of the
 Community scheme. Yet the CAR continues to export under the preferential regime based 
on the old system (common report, Chapter 3). 
3.1.5  Customs levies 
3.1.5.1  Import duties and taxes 
3.29.  The Directorate-General of Customs is still one of the State's major sources of fiscal and 
overall revenue (Table 4.1 and Chapter 1). Since 2000, the CEMAC countries have been applying 
a Common External Tariff (CET) to imports from third countries. Updated in accordance with 
the 2007 version of the Harmonized System43, the CET comprises five bands defined as follows44: 
certain cultural and aviation-related products (zero rate), basic necessities (5%), raw materials and capital goods (10%), intermediate and miscellaneous goods (20%), and daily consumer 
goods (30%) (common report, Chapter 3.1.4). Howe ver, each CEMAC country unilaterally grants 
                                                                 
41 The company's remuneration was as follows: (a) 20% on revenue derived from payments on 
second-hand vehicles (minimum CFAF 50,000), on goods in transit (CFAF 15,000 per container or CFAF 600 per bulk tonne), or for phytosanitary control (CFAF 500); (b) 20% on the increase in customs revenue in comparison with the average earned over the 2003, 2004 and 2005 financial years on the corridors 
with Cameroon and the Republic of  the Congo; and (c) 5% on revenue  derived from IS/IR payments at 
the "one-stop" window for transit to or from the Central African Republic (around 10% of the c.i.f. value of 
the imports). 
42 Title 1, Chapter IV, Section IV. 
43 Decision No. 21/07-UEAC-1368 U-CM-15 of 17 March 2007 approving the update of the CEMAC TEC 
in accordance with the 2007 version of the Harmonized System. 
44 Act No. 7/93-UDEAC-556-SE1 of 21 June 1993 revising the CET and establishing the procedures for 
implementation of the generalized preferential tariff. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 329 - 
 
  CET waivers without consulting or notifying th e other members. In the case of the CAR, 
these waivers concern 193 eight-digit tariff lines (common report, Chapter 3). 
Table 3.2 Fiscal revenue by main source, 2007-2012 
(CFAF million). 
 2007  2008  2009  2010 2011 2012  
(A) Fiscal revenue  25,686.8  27,220.4  32,598.1  37,675.8 36,745.8 45,055.5  
(I) Imports 4,124.4  5,549.7  6,013.3  6,030.3 5,660.8 7,841.8  
(A) Clearance credit 0.0  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 296.1  
(B) Cash payments 4,124.4  5,549.7  6,013.3  6,030.3 5,660.8 7,545.7  
(II) Douala single window 6,878.0  6,796.0  6,619.5  7,417.7 6,939.6 8,176.2  
(A) Imports 3,161.8  3,371.3  3,020.5  3,337.4 3,452.6 3,512.3  
(B) VAT 3,716.2  3,424.6  3,295.4  3,734.7 3,125.8 4,333.5  
(C) Other single window 
charges .. .. 303.5  345.6 361.3 330.5  
(III) Exports 3,652.7  3,345.9  2,026.1  2,046.2 2,122.0 2,225.0  
(A) Diamonds and gold 1,263.6  890.4  975.3  1,041.7 1,212.8 1,331.2  
(B) Timber 2,387.4  2,437.0  1,048.7  1,001.3 907.2 881.6  
(C) Others 1.6 18.4 2.0 3.1 1.9 12.2 
(IV) Provinces 505.2  332.0  302.6  265.3 392.7 439.2  
(A) Imports provinces 505.2  331.1  302.3  264.4 391.7 438.4  
(B) Exports provinces 0.0  1.0 0.3 0.9 1.0 0.8  
(V) Petroleum tax revenue 6,004.9  5,507.6  10,393.1  10,437.7 1,498.8 17,792.8  
Imports hydrocarbons 977.7  1 682.2  1,262.0  1,619.3 2,228.9 2,660.9  
Special taxes on petroleum 
products .. .. 1,901.7  2,894.3 4,134.6 3,272.8  
VAT hydrocarbons 3,684.1  3,620.1  3,082.7  4,113.0 5,820.5 7,551.6  
Net TUPP 1,343.1  205.3  .. .. .. .. 
Positive TUPP ..  6,926.5  4,146.7  1,811.0 314.8 1,262.9  
Negative TUPP 1,724.5  4,834.3  217.7  161.0 1,436.8 3,044.6  
(VI) VAT 4,285.7  4,806.0  5,504.0  7,076.7 7,229.2 7,445.5  
(A) VAT Bangui 3,694.1  4,406.4  5,175.8  6,653.3 6,806.1 6,924.4  
(B) VAT Provinces 591.6  399.7  328.2  423.4 423.1 521.1  
(VII) Disputes 235.8  883.1  1,739.6  4,402.0 1,902.7 1,135.0  
(A) Customs Duties 
recovered 151.6  580.1  1,107.9  539.3 413.6 343.9  
(B) VAT recovered 31.5 146.8  218.4  3,522.3 1,137.7 166.8  
(C) Penalties 52.8  156.2  413.3  340.4 351.4 624.3  
(B) Allocated revenue 4,002.0  2,489.3  5,093.8  9,736.3 11,022.5 11,403.1  
TCI 431.5  332.6  601.2  651.7 771.4 885.9  
CCI 186.1  132.6  254.7  274.1 319.4 301.4  
P/COMIFAC ..  10.7 60.3 73.9 72.6 63.6  
Fee/Scanners .. .. .. .. .. 435.3  
REIF 789.2  461.8  687.9  825.8 931.9 625.8  
OHADA 23.7 9.7 24.4 23.9 24.5 135.7  
Customs Project 468.9  335.9  893.2  4,695.2 5,343.8 5,518.7  
R.U.R. 2,102.7  1,205.9  2,572.1  3,191.7 3,558.9 3,436.7  
Grand Total 29,688.8  29,709.7  37,691.9  47,412.1 47,768.3 56,458.6  
.. Not available. 
Source:  Information provided by the Central African authorities. 
3.30.  Besides the CET, the Central African Republic applies other Community duties and taxes 
(common report Chapter 3.1.5): the 1% CEMAC Community integration tax or levy (TCI/PCI), 
applicable to imports originating in countries outside the CEMAC and released for consumption45; 
the 0.4% ECCAS Community Integration Contribution (CCI) applicable to imports originating 
                                                                 
45 Additional Act No. 03/00-CEMAC 046-CM-05. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 330 - 
 
  in non-ECCAS countries46; the 0.05% OHADA levy applicable to goods of any origin47; 
and the 0.1% COMIFAC levy (common report, Chapter 3). 
3.31.  In addition, the CAR also imposes a 0.5% levy on computer equipment for finance (REIF) 
and the 0.5% scanner management fee on imports of any origin. A special CFAF 7 duty is payable 
on each net kilogramme of coffee imported during the authorized period.48 In 2006, 
the Central African authorities also drew up a list of specific duties and taxes applicable to second-hand vehicles.
49 
3.1.5.2  Bindings 
3.32.  The CAR has bound 62.3% of its tariff lines (common report, Table 3.2). Resulting solely 
from the Uruguay Round, these bindings cover al l agricultural products as well as several 
non-agricultural products. 
3.33.  For agricultural products, the bindings were at the rate of 30%; for the non-agricultural 
products concerned, the bound rates range from 20 to 70%.50 The low percentage of bindings 
does not guarantee the tariff regime's predictab ility and raises the problem of transparency, 
which might make any partner hesitate, whether a trading partner or one seeking an environment 
conducive to investment Besides, one tariff line, HS 871200 (bicycles and other cycles) has a bound rate that is lower than the rate applied (25% and 30% respectively)(common report, 
Table 3.2). The "other duties and taxes" on  products for which tariffs were bound are 
at the zero or 16% rate, depending on the category of good, although they are taxable at non-zero rates. 
3.1.6  Internal taxes 
3.34.  Pursuant to Community provisions
51, since 1 January 2001 the Central African Republic has 
been applying value-added tax (VAT) and excise du ty to local and imported products; the regimes, 
including principles and bases of taxation , are determined at the Community level 
(common report, Chapter 3.1.6). The VAT rate in the CAR has been 19% since 2006.52 VAT 
is levied on goods for home consumption irrespective of their origin (including goods of CEMAC origin).
53 Some staple goods, whether imported or produced locally, are in principle 
exempt from VAT.54 Unlike competing imports, meat, fruit and vegetables produced locally are, 
however, exempt from VAT, and this is in breach of the principle of national treatment. Exports are subject to the zero rate regime. The reason for this discrimination is social justice. 
3.35.  The CAR levies a 25% excise duty on alco holic beverages, cigarettes and tobacco, precious 
stones, perfumes and cosmetics, amongst other things.
55 A rate of 10% is applied to non-alcoholic 
beverages; however, the taxes on those produced locally are not being paid. This is an infringement of the principle of national treatment. VAT-exempt products are also 
exempt from excise duty. 
                                                                 
46 Decision No. 05/CEEAC/CCEG/X/02 of the Conference  of Heads of State and Government of ECCAS. 
47 Order No. 5808/MEFB-CAB of 20 September 2005. 
48 Interministerial Order No. 029/MFB/MAE/MICA of 11 January 1996. 
49 Circular Note No. 010/MFB/DGDDI/DLD of 3 February 2006. 
50 Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) Database. This Database was established pursuant to a decision 
taken on 27 November 1998 by the WTO Committee on Market Access. It contains all the information on tariff concessions (relating to goods) in a format convenient for purposes of analysis (M S Access 97), albeit without 
prejudging the legal status of th ose concessions. WTO Members can amend information held under their 
names. 
51 Act No. 1/92-UDEAC-556-CD-SE1, amended by Act No. 4/94-UDEAC-556-CD-SE1 and Act No. 1/96 
UDEAC-556-CD. 
52 2006 Finance Law. 
53 Article 253, Chapter I, Book II, General Tax Code, January 2006 edition. 
54 Annex to Chapter I, Book II, General Tax Code, January 2006 edition. These goods include: milk 
and cream; bread; infant food; medicines; medical appliances and invalid carriages; spectacles; books; 
insecticides and pesticides; and the first bracket of residential water and electricity consumption. 
55 Circular Note No. 010/MFB/DGDDI/DLD containing the customs programme for 2006. Products liable 
to excise duty are listed in the Annex to Chapte r II, Book II, General Tax Code, January 2006 edition. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 331 - 
 
  3.36.  An advance on income tax (IR) or corporation tax (IS) is also levied on all transactions in 
goods and services of a commercial nature. This advance applies to imports and to transactions on the domestic market (with the exception of th e sale of water and electricity). Since 2007, 
the advance on imports has been 3% of the custom s value plus all duties and taxes except for VAT 
(and excise duty where applicable), and 3% of  the price (including all taxes except for VAT) 
on transactions on the domestic market.
56 Economic operators not subject to the IS or the IR pay 
the minimum flat-rate tax (IMF) of 3%. 
3.1.7  Tariff preferences 
3.37.  In accordance with Community provisions, the CAR grants tariff preferences to imports 
originating in the other CEMAC countries. 
3.1.8  Duty and tax concessions 
3.38.  Apart from the system of duty and tax concessions and exemptions envisaged 
at the Community level (common report, Chapter 3. 1.8) the CAR grants duty and tax exemptions 
to enterprises approved under the National Invest ment Charter (Chapter 2.4), the Forestry Code 
(Chapter 4.2), the Mining Code (Chapter 4.3), and the Petroleum Code (Chapter 4.3). 
Duty and tax exemptions also apply to goods impo rted by State structures, the public entities. 
3.39.  Other exemptions are accorded to "large enterprises" under the agreements on their 
establishment or under bilateral conventions or agreements.57 The scale of the revenue foregone 
as a result of all these exemptions (Table 4.2) has more than doubled since the last review, and has risen dramatically for special exemptions granted on a discretionary basis, which suggests 
that the tax system is not properly adapted to the structure of the economy. These exemptions 
altogether represent more than 200% of the Stat e's customs revenue (Chapter 3, section 3.1.5.1, 
Table 3.2), which greatly deprives the State of substantial resources with which to implement 
its various programmes. 
Table 3.3 Breakdown of revenue losses owing to exemptions, 2009-2012 
(Revenue loss in CFAF million) 
By category 2009  2010 2011 2012  
Basic UN Agreement 3,463.1  3,446.1 2,648.6 2,532.2  
Diplomatic exemptions 190.9  243.3 240.7 704.8  
Cooperation agreement 4.6  .. 3.9 0.6  
Headquarters Agreement 178.9  221.6 138.0 193.4  
Establishment Agreement 8.7  .. .. 6.3  
Memorandum of Agreement (reduced rate of 5%) 82.5 42.7 326.1 212.2  
Act No. 2/92-UDEAC-556-CD-SE1 443.3  371.5 225.1 219.7  
Customs project 77.4 55.0 93.3 2.2 
Financing agreement memorandum 1.7  .. .. ..  
Cooperation Agreement 116.7  54.9 26.4 16.4 
Public investment contract being implemented 151.2  28.6 63.4 364.6  
Exceptional exemption, total of duties & taxes except REIF .. .. 2.2 268.0  
Memorandum of Agreement (reduced rate of 8%) 930.6  134.9 605.8 737.5  
Bilateral conventions and agreements 1,204.3  1,711.9 1,655.2 3,549.0  
Total exceptional exemption from duties and taxes 1,138.7  2,497.4 1,863.8 2,368.8  
                                                                 
56 Section VI, Book I, General Tax Code, January 2006 edition, as amended by the 2007 Finance Law. 
Circular Note No. 087/MFB/DIR.CAB/DGID /DELFSC/SELFPM of 1 February 2007. 
57 Government of the Central African Republic, Mi nistry of the Economy, Finance, Planning and 
International Cooperation (2005). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 332 - 
 
  By category 2009  2010 2011 2012  
5% SUCAF REDUCED RATE 38.6 9.5 193.9 270.4  
Exemptions management fee (RGE 8%) 207.6  133.3 155.5 1,202.1  
TOTAL 8,238.7  8,950.5 8,241.7 12,648.0  
.. Not available. 
Source:  Information provided by the Central African authorities. 
3.1.9  Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licences 
3.40.  The Central African Republic has not notified the WTO of its prohibition, authorization 
and import licensing regimes as such. It has, however, notified several related measures 
to the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade. The prohibition regime concerns in particular the 90% monopoly of sugar imports (as well as the relevant licences) granted to the private 
company, Sucrière en Afrique – SUCAF-RCA (Chapter 4.2), for which the authorities 
cited Article XIX of the GATT 1994 as the legal basis.
58 The authorities have also notified the 
creation of a regulatory body for sugar imports.59 Another notification to the WTO relates to a ban 
on the import of certain products containing mercury.60 Coffee may only be  imported as of the  
date on which all the domestic output is deemed to have been sold (usually in April each year).61 
This information has been confirmed, though th e memorandum of understanding with the SUCAF 
will expire in September 2013 and some revisions are currently being considered. 
3.41.  The import of pharmaceuticals into the Central African Republic is subject to registration 
formalities and a marketing authorization from the Minister of Health62, while the import 
of pharmaceuticals for veterinary use requires a pproval by the Minister responsible for livestock.63 
The production, import and sale of iodized salt for human or animal consumption are subject 
to controls in order to protect human and animal health.64 The import and marketing of saccharine 
are controlled in order to protect human health.65 It is forbidden to collect or trade in ivory.66 
The import and marketing of cellular telephones require prior authorization by the Minister 
responsible for telecommunications.67 The 1996 law liberalizing the telecommunications sector 
nevertheless allows approved operators to import and market cell phones, but the regulator intervenes for reasons of safety and control of national security. 
3.42.   Apart from the registration formalities applicable to all foreign trade activities 
(section 3.2.1), control measures can be imposed imports of certain products for security reasons, to protect public health and morality or because of their strategic nature (Table 3.4). In general, 
controls in the form of import permits apply in order to protect consumers, live animals, 
plants or the environment, particularly under the international conventions signed by the Central African Republic.
68 
3.43.  The Central African Republic participates in the Kimberley Process for trade in 
rough diamonds.69 
                                                                 
58 WTO document G/TBT/N/CAF/3 of 1 December 2004. 
59 WTO document G/TBT/N/CAF/5 of 2 December 2004. 
60 WTO document G/TBT/N/CAF/2 of 1 December 2004. 
61 Interministerial Order No. 029/MFB/MAE/MICA of 11 January 1996. 
62 Decree No. 94.196 of 4 June 1994. 
63 Law No. 65/61 of 3 June 1965. 
64 Decree No. 95.038 of 6 February 1995. 
65 Interministerial Order No. 002/ MCIPSP/MSP of 11 January 2002. 
66 Ordinances No. 85.005 of 30 January 1985 eliminating elephant hunting and No. 85.046 of 
31 October 1985 banning the collection and trade of ivory in the Central African Republic; and Interministerial Order No. 072 of 3 February 2004. 
67 Ordinance No. 85.046 of 31 October 1985. 
68 Online information. Viewed at: http://www.wto.org/English/tratop_e/envir_e/ 
membershipwtomeas_e.doc. 
69 Online information. Viewed at : http://www.kimberleyprocess.com. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 333 - 
 
  Table 3.4 Import controls, 2012 
Responsible body Required document Product 
Ministry of the Interior Prior authorization Arms and ammunition; radio equipment 
(transmitters and receivers) 
Ministry of Health Prior authorization All goods (other than for personal use)  
Ministry of Health (pharmaceutical inspection) Authorization Pharmaceuticals 
Ministry of Agriculture (veterinary 
service) Sanitary certificate Meat and fresh fish 
Ministry of Agriculture, Water and 
Forestry (veterinary service) Health certificate and 
CITES certificate Live animals, trophies and  
protected species 
Ministry of Energy Prior authorization Fuels 
Ministry of Finance Prior authorization See 3.51 
Source: Directorate-General of Customs. 
3.1.10  Standards, technical regulations and accreditation 
3.44.  The Central African Republic has no national regulatory framework on standardization 
and quality management, and no notification has been made to the WTO on the matter. The only 
law on standardization and quality control is currently being adopted. The commission on texts has already reviewed and validated the draft law. There had previously been no State entity 
responsible for implementing Government policy on standardization. Since 2005, an organic text 
has made it possible to task the Ministry of Tr ade and Industry with implementing this policy. 
A standards and quality division was created fo r that purpose within the Ministry and more 
precisely within the Directorate-General of Indu stry. The SPS notification authority as well 
as the SPS enquiry point have just been design ated. The notification to the WTO will soon 
be possible. The only certification done by the Ce ntral African Republic is that of products made 
by ORCCPA (coffee). The country has no national standards. The only institution authorized 
to adopt international standards and formulate national standards is currently being created 
(Central African Agency for Standardization en visaged in the draft law now being adopted). 
3.45.  The other quality infrastructure components (standardization, conformity assessment, 
certification and accreditation) are taken into account by the European Union within the framework 
of the CEMAC quality programme. In the CAR, in the absence of national rules, imports must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity with international standards. The certificate is issued 
by the BIVAC inspection company. 
3.46.  The customs and trade checkpoints are responsible for the enforcement of import 
regulations. Products quality controls are carried out by local laboratories to be sure of compliance with the standards. 
3.47.  The Central African Republic is not a member of the International Organization 
for Standardization (ISO). The CAR had been su bscriber member of the ISO from 2010 to 2012. 
That membership was terminated at the end of  2012. Moves are afoot for rehabilitation. When 
needed, it utilizes the standards laid down by the Association française de normalisation (AFNOR). 
3.1.11  Packaging, marking and labelling requirements 3.48.  The Central African Republic has notified the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade 
of the compulsory marking of packaging and containers for tobacco products put on sale.
70 The 
name and address of the importer, together with  the weight and the country of origin of the 
product, must be placed on the bags used for imports of wheat flour, rice and sugar.71 The metric 
system and the French language must be used in the Central African Republic. Penalties are 
envisaged for non-compliance with the laws in force on labelling, marking and packaging. 
                                                                 
70 WTO document G/TBT/N/CAF/1 of 1 December 2004. 
71 Order No. 028/MCIPME/CAB/CM of 8 October 1988. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 334 - 
 
  3.1.12  Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
3.49.  Since the CAR's last trade policy review in 2006, no measure (ordinary or emergency) has 
been notified to the WTO SPS Committee. However, an SPS enquiry point, a notification authority and a national SPS Committee have been set up by Interministerial Order No. 005 
of 13 March 2012. The lack of an operational SPS system and the inadequate infrastructure are 
two of the main constraints on the developmen t of trade and the quality of local products. 
3.50.  The Ministry of Health is responsible for applying sanitary measures in relation to human 
health and food, and the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for phytosanitary measures. 
It is also responsible for safeguarding animal health, in both cases, in cooperation with the Ministry responsible for trade. There is a National Codex Alimentarius Committee created by Interministerial Order No. 0045 of 18 March 2011. 
3.51.  The import of plants, as well as packagin g made of plant material, requires a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by the authorities in the country of origin.
72 Prior authorization is required 
in order to sell insecticides in the Central African Republic. The phytosanitary inspection taxes 
and fees are fixed according to a scale.73 Products of animal origin must undergo sanitary import 
control and be accompanied by a sanitary certificate issued by the authorities in the country of origin.
74 
3.52.  The Competition and Consumption Directorate conducts checks on the implementation of SPS regulations. The customs code makes it possible to monitor not just tariffs but also the quality of products entering and leaving th e country. Texts have been adopted prohibiting 
certain products harmful to health (Order No. 0061 of 25 January 2012 prohibiting the import 
and marketing of certain alcoholic products). 
3.53.  The Central African Republic complies with the provisions of the FAO International Plant 
Protection Convention, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimenta rius, the provisions of the World Organisation 
for Animal Health (OIE), as well as those of th e Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 
3.1.13  Contingency measures 
3.54.  The Central African Republic applies the VAT  zero rate regime and the various suspensive 
regimes envisaged at Community level (common report, Chapter 3); it has not implemented any other export advantages; it has only instituted import tax and customs benefits for production 
by enterprises approved under the Investment Charter (section 3.3.1 below). The CAR has 
no free zones. 
3.1.14  Other measures 3.55.  According to the authorities, there is no provision prescribing national content for the 
purposes of fiscal, customs or financial benefits, inter alia . No agreement has been signed with 
foreign governments or enterprises with a view to influencing the volume or value of goods and services exported to the Central African Republic. Likewise, the authorities are not aware of any 
such agreements between national and foreign companies. The Central African Republic applies 
the trade sanctions decided upon in the framew ork of the United Nations or of regional 
organizations to which it belongs. 
3.56.  The CAR does not engage in countertrade. Acting through the Directorate of Domestic 
Trade, which is responsible for control, supply and distribution, the State regulates threshold of the 
security stockpile at two months. 
                                                                 
72 Law No. 62/350 of 4 January 1963. 
73 Order No. 005/MMDA/CAB/DGAAARH /DCA/SPS of 18 February 2004. 
74 Law No. 65/61 of 3 June 1965. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 335 - 
 
  3.2  Measures directly affecting exports 
3.2.1  Registration and customs procedures 3.57.  The registration formalities applicable to the import of goods for commercial purposes also 
apply to export (section 3.2.1 above). The export of precious stones, as well as forest products, 
is subject to specific conditions of approval. The export of forest products is subject to special 
conditions of approval. Only mining companies, authorized purchasing offices and organized and approved mining cooperatives (for exports of at  least CFAF 20 million, about €31,000) may export 
precious stones and precious and semi-precious metals.
75 The Bureau d'évaluation et de contrôle 
du diamant et de l'or - BECDOR, a State body , values gold and diamonds for the purpose 
of applying export duties and taxes. 
3.58.  The preshipment inspection regime, entrusted to the BIVAC (Section 3.1.3), 
applies to exports as well as imports. All exports require an export declaration, as well 
as a customs declaration. A document showing the foreign currency committed, endorsed by the bank with which the transaction is domiciled, is also required for all export transactions. 
The foreign exchange undertaking consists of the obligation to repatriate export earnings from 
countries outside CEMAC and convert them into CFAF within 30 days of the goods being shipped. 
3.59.  Since 2005, all exports of wood products are subject to the BIVAC verification programme. 
The programme covers the inspection, identification  and marking of logs for export (when they are 
loaded onto trucks), as well as of wood products entering and leaving sawmills and when trucks go through the border posts with Cameroon. BIVAC is also responsible for securitizing customs revenue by verifying the price of wood, th e basis for applying export duty. The exporter 
pays the BIVAC's fees, which amount to 1% of the f.o.t. value (free-on-truck, i.e. leaving 
the Central African Republic on a truck), determined twice yearly in a joint order issued by the Ministers responsible for forests and for finance
76, plus 19% VAT; the minimum fee 
is CFAF 140,000. 
3.60.  The Office de réglementation de la commercialisation et du contrôle du conditionnement des 
produits agricoles - ORCCPA, responsible for the coffee subsector, issues the required approval 
to coffee exporters.77 The export of cattle is the subject of special measures, for example, 
the obligation to sell the cattle on terminal markets in the Central African Republic and the submission of a sanitary certificate and international passport issued by the CEBEVIRHA-CEMAC.
78 
Fees are charged for issuing these various documents.79 
3.2.2  Export duties and taxes 
3.61.  Merchandise exports are subject to several export duties and taxes, in particular: 
the 0.5% levy on computer equipment for finance (REIF); a levy in the form of a 3% advance 
on the IR or IS for exports of a commercial nature.80 Economic operators not subject to the IS 
or the IR pay the minimum flat-rate tax (IMF) of 3%, with the exception of coffee exporters.81 
3.62.  Gold, diamonds, wood, cattle and live wi ld animals are the subject of special regimes 
as regards export duties and taxes. In the case of gold, the export duty is 1% and the mining 
promotion tax is 0.75% of the BECDOR value. Fo r diamonds, the export duty is 4%, the mining 
promotion tax is 1% and the special tax on purcha ses of diamonds is 3%. Export duty is 10.5% 
on logs and 4.5% on sawn wood, based on the f.o.b. value, determined twice yearly 
in a joint order issued by the Ministers responsible for forests and for finance. Cattle are subject 
                                                                 
75 Article 96 of Ordinance No. 04.001 of 1 February 2004 (Mining Code). 
76 The f.o.t. value is calculated by deducting from th e f.o.b. Douala value for the preceding half-year the 
amount of the transport costs and the Douala f.o.b. cost. Where the f.o.t. value is nega tive, it is set at a flat 
rate of CFAF 5,000 m3. The transport costs taken into account depend on the geographical situation of the 
forestry permits, either in Zone 1 (low er Lobaye), or in Zone 2 (south-west). 
77 ORCCPA (2005). The fee charged is CFAF 30,000. 
78 Interministerial Order No. 0020/2001 of 25 April 2001. 
79 The fees are: export authorization (CFAF 5,000); CEBEVIRHA document (CFAF 50/head); sanitary 
control (CFAF 2,000/head of cattle; and CFAF 1,000/head of small livestock). 
80 General Tax Code 2008, Art. 166 bis 1. 
81 ORCCPA (2005). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 336 - 
 
  to an export tax (CFAF 1,000/head of cattle; CFAF 500/head of small livestock). Live wild animals 
are also subject to export taxes.82 
3.63.  Coffee under the temporary admission regime is subject to CFAF 10/kg net after processing.
83 
3.2.3  Export prohibitions and controls 
3.64.  An export declaration must be filed for all goods being exported or re-exported. Goods are 
subject to checks by the BIVAC inspection company during importation and exportation. 
3.65.  The Central African Republic has had an export declaration regime since 1986.84 It has 
participated in the Kimberley Process (KP) for trade in rough diamonds since April 2003.85 
The KP's permanent secretariat has been designated by the State for this purpose, in particular for 
certifying parcels of rough diamonds exported and verifying the traceability of diamonds produced 
in the country. A fee of 0.5% of the BECD OR value is levied for this service. 
3.66.  The Central African Republic has establishe d a scheme for the sanitary certification of the 
products concerned (cattle, all types of meat). Green coffee must meet quality standards in order 
to be exported. 
3.2.4  Export subsidies and promotion 3.67.  The Central African Republic applies the VAT  zero rate regime and the various suspensive 
regimes envisaged at community level (common report, Chapter 3); it has not implemented any 
other export advantages; it has only instituted import tax and customs benefits for production by enterprises approved under the Investment Charter (section 3.3.1 below). The CAR has no free zones. 
3.68.  According to the authorities, thought is being given to introducing export incentives. 
3.3  Measures affecting production and trade 3.3.1  Incentives 
3.69.  The Central African Republic has not notified  the WTO of subsidies or aid. The main support 
measures in effect relate to the benefits available to enterprises approved under the Investment Charter (Chapter 2.4 and common report, Chapter 3.3.1), the Forestry Code (Chapter 4.2), 
the Petroleum Code (Chapter 4.3), or the mining  regimes (Chapter 4.3). Promotional benefits 
and exemptions are also accorded to large enterprises under their establishment agreement or a bilateral agreement. In addition, the State su pports agriculture in various ways (Chapter 4.2). 
Public services such as electricity (Chapter 4. 3), water (Chapter 4.3), transport (Chapter 4.5) 
or fixed telecommunications (Chapter 4.5) also benefit from Government support. 
3.3.2  Competition and price control 3.70.  Apart from CEMAC regulations on the matter (common report, Chapter 3.2.2), 
the provisions of which are, in principle, directly applicable in all the Member States, 
the Central African Republic has no national competition regime. According to the authorities, the regulatory framework in place dates back to  1992 and covers some aspects of the matter, 
namely: pricing regimes for products, goods and services of all kinds; market transparency; some 
anti-competitive practices
86; the rules governing commercial transactions (with a view to 
protecting consumers)87; stockholding; and the investigation and suppression of economic fraud. 
                                                                 
82 Law No. 98.001 of 2 February 1998. 
83 Interministerial Order No. 029/MFB/MAE/MICA of 11 January 1996. 
84 Decree No. 86.328 of 20 November 1986. 
85 Online information. Viewed at : http://www.kimberleyprocess.org. 
86 The law defines anti-competitive practices as those whose purpose is or which could have the effect of 
preventing, restricting or di storting free competition in the market, for example, concerted action, agreements, WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 337 - 
 
  3.71.  Consumer protection is also one of the objectives of the law. The focus is on market 
transparency and product quality. For example, traders must inform consumers of the price of the 
goods or services on offer and must provide an invoice at the customer's request, which under OHADA provisions should be mandatory. Th e law punishes offences such as counterfeiting 
and deceptive or misleading advertising concerning, in particular, adulterated or toxic products. 
The law thus touches on sanitary measures (secti on 3.1.10), dishonesty and fraud in the provision 
of services, and fraud relating to importation, production and sale. The law also deals 
with infringements connected with the exercise of the profession of trader and the application of 
the relevant provisions on domestic or foreign trade. 
3.72.  In principle, prices are determined by the fr ee play of competition, except in the case of the 
authorization regime for staple foods and basic necessities. At present, controls also apply 
to 17 categories of product that are also the subj ect of reference values for imports (section 2.2). 
According to the authorities, the Office de réglem entation de la commercialisation et du contrôle 
du conditionnement des produits agricoles - ORCCPA, which deals with the coffee subsector, 
determines the indicative domestic price for each  season (Chapter 4.2). A minimum purchase price 
is also one of the accompanying measures in the cotton subsector (Chapter 4.2). 
3.73.  Price controls outside the framework of the exception regimes apply to petroleum 
products (Chapter 4.3), water (Chapter (4.3), electricity (Chapter (4.3), and postal and 
telecommunications services (Chapter 4.5). 
3.3.3  State trading, State-owne d enterprises and privatization 
3.74.  The Central African Republic has not yet noti fied the WTO of State trading enterprises within 
the meaning of Article XVII of the GATT.
88 The process of State withdrawal began in 2003, but the 
effective liberalization of the economy is continuing. The following de facto or de jure monopolies have been maintained: a monopoly of 90% of sugar imports has been given to the private 
company SUCAF-RCA (Chapter 4.2); and the import of electric power is the exclusive prerogative 
of the State-owned electricity company Énergie Ce ntrafricaine - ENERCA (Chapter 4.3). There are 
also monopolies of the import, transport and stor age of hydrocarbons (Chapter 4.3); international 
road transport (Chapter 4.5); and postal services and basic fixed telecommunications 
services (Chapter 4.5) 
3.3.4  Government procurement 3.75.  In 2008 the Central African Republic adopted a new framework
89 for the management 
of public procurement. 
3.76.  The new Government Procurement Code transposes all Community provisions 
(common report, Chapter 3.3.3). It meets international public procurement standards. 
The Procurement Code of the RCA and its im plementing regulations are inspired by 
international standards established in this regard by institutions such as the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Trade Organization. 
3.77.  The new regulatory and institut ional framework is governed by the 
Government Procurement Code, which is a complete overhaul of the previous legal framework (1965). The Code reinforces the role of contracting authorities in the process of public 
procurement. It aims to increase competitio n, rationalize and modernize the procurement 
procedure, develop control and reduce arbitrariness. The new Procurement Code establishes the 
principle of separation of the functions of procur ement, their control, and the regulation of the 
system (Article 109). The different functions are now distributed between three new bodies: 
the Government Procurement Regulatory Author ity, the Directorate-General of Government 
Procurement, and the Procurement Services. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                       
express or tacit understandings or coalitions (Article 4) or abuse of dominant market position, a state of 
economic dependence of a client company or supplier,  and the use of misleading  advertising (Article 5). 
87 Law No. 92.002 of 26 May 1992. 
88 WTO Document G/L/1/Rev.7, November 2011. 
89 Law No 08017 of 6 June 2008 on the Government Procurement Code of the Central African Republic. 
Online information of the Directorate-General of Go vernment Procurement. View ed at: www dgmp-rca org. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 338 - 
 
  3.78.  The provisions of the Government Procurement Code apply to public contracts whose 
estimated tax-paid value is equal to or higher than the disclosure requirement thresholds set each year under the finance law (Article 10 of the Procurement Code). When the choice of the procedure is a function of thresholds, it is determined according to specific provisions set 
out in Article 11 of the Code. They are envisaged in the 2009 Finance Law (Article 33) 
and explained in the procedural manual. It is requ ired that calls for tenders are published in the 
national and international press (Article 29), in at least one mass circulation daily newspaper 
and if necessary, by public posting. These notices are also posted on the website 
of the Directorate-General of Government Procur ement. Article 64 of the Code provides that 
a margin of preference may be attributed to a tender in the case of companies based in the CAR or in a member State, though this margin ma y not exceed 15% for domestic companies and 10% 
for CEMAC companies. As regards subcontracting , a preferential margin of 5% is granted 
to companies planning to outsource at least 30% of their tender to a company from a CEMAC member State (Article 26). 
3.79.  The Central African Republic is not a member of the WTO Plurilateral Agreement 
on Government Procurement nor is it an observer. 
3.3.5  Protection of intellectual property rights 
3.80.  Like the other members of the CEMAC, th e Central African Republic is a member of the 
African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), which was established by the Bangui Agreement in 1997 (common report, Chapter 3.3.4).
90 The RCA ratified the revised Bangui Agreement (1999) 
on 14 April 2004. The revised Agreement is applicable in the CAR pursuant to the 
2004 Constitution (Chapter 2.1) as an automatically enforceable State law. In addition to the 
revised Bangui Agreement (1999), the Central African Republic has national legislation on copyright and related rights dating from 1985.
91 
3.81.  The CAR has also been a signatory to the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since 23 August 1978, but has not yet signed most of the treaties administered by the WIPO; technical assistance is sought by the authorities for this purpose. 
The RCA has notified the Bangui Agreement (1999) to the WTO; as a least developed country, 
the Central African Republic is eligible for deferral of full application of the WTO TRIPS Agreement until 2016 for matters relating to pharmaceuticals and until 2013 for other products. 
3.82.  The Industrial Property Directorate (DPI), which forms part of the Ministry responsible for 
industry acts as the National Structure for Liaison (SNL) with the OAPI. Its main task is to transmit 
to the OAPI applications for patents, utility mode ls and property (trademarks, industrial designs 
and trade names) from the CAR. The SNL also co ordinates activities promoting awareness of the 
importance of industrial property in the Central African Republic. Since the CAR's last TPR, the 
number of applications, by year and by type of  title, filed with the Service has increased 
significantly (Table 3.5). 
Table 3.5 Number of applications, by year and by type of title, filed with the SNL from 
the Central African Republic, 2006-2012 
Years/titles 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
Patent 2 1  0 1 1 3 0  
Trademark 0 0 0 0 1 3 2 
Utility model 1 0  0 1 0 0 0  
Industrial design 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 
Trade name 9 13  29 30 11 13 18  
Source: National Liaison Structure (SNL). 
                                                                 
90 The Bangui Agreement (1977) established the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) 
to replace the African and Malagasy Industrial Prop erty Office, set up in 1962. OAPI comprises Benin; 
Burkina Faso; Cameroon; the Central African Repub lic; the Congo; Côte d'Ivoire; Gabon; Guinea; 
Guinea-Bissau; Equatorial Guinea; Mali; Mauritan ia; Niger; Senegal; Chad and Togo. Viewed at: 
http://www.oapi.wipo.net. 
91 Ordinance No. 85.002 of 5 January 1985. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 339 - 
 
  3.83.  The management and protection of copyright and neighbouring rights are the responsibility 
of the Bureau centrafricain du droit d'au teur (BUCADA), which has existed since 1985.92 
To improve the situation of artists, the Government on 20 January 2005 set up within the Ministry responsible for culture a committee to restructure the BUCADA, and that committee has now taken 
over the latter's functions. 
3.84.  The regulatory framework for copyright in the Central African Republic is governed 
by Decree No. 85.002 of 5 January 1985 establishing the BUCADA, whose main task 
is to manage copyright matters. Sanctions for copyright violations are governed 
by the Central African Penal Code (Articles 185- 191). The import of goods related to copyright 
and neighbouring rights is subject to paym ent of copyright before customs clearance 
and followed by the issuance of an endorsemen t to the importer. The importer must complete 
a form with the details of the works and their beneficiaries at the BUCADA. Under a reciprocity 
agreement with foreign collective management bodies, the BUCADA treats foreign copyright holders in the same way as nationals. 
3.85.   The most frequent intellectual proper ty infringements in the CAR are counterfeiting 
and piracy and the areas most affected are musi c, the audiovisual sector and literary works. 
 
                                                                 
92 Decree No. 82.006 of 5 January 1985. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 340 - 
 
  4  TRADE POLICY BY SECTOR 
4.1  Agriculture, livestock fa rming, forestry and fisheries 
4.1.1  Overview 4.1.  Central African Republic (CAR) has considerable natural resources and climatic conditions 
favourable to agriculture, with abundant rainfall and an extensive and dense river system. 
Yet agricultural production is low, and most of the population face enormous difficulties in feeding themselves. The RCA is suitable for many crops (Table 4.1), as well as forestry and livestock 
farming. The sector is important owing to its co ntribution to GDP and employment (Chapter 1).
93 
Table 4.1 Production of f ood crops, 2000, 2005-2010 
(in thousands of tonnes). 
 Quantity of production 
(in thousands of tonnes, unless otherwise specified) Value of agricultural 
production: net 
production 2004-2006  
(mn Int$) 
 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2000 2007 2010 
Cassava 560.4 578.2 572.0  597.8  621.8  642.9  679.0  58.5 62.5 70.9 
Yams 380.0 357.8 370.0  386.7  402.2  415.9  435.0  87.2 88.8 99.8  
Maize (corn) 100.7 131.0 131.0  139.8  146.8  151.2  150.0  13.8 19.1 20.9 
Peanuts unshelled 104.5 145.4 146.1  156.4  159.5  162.7  140.0  44.2 66.2 60.5  
Bananas 118.0 112.0 115.0  120.0  124.9  125.0  126.0  33.2 33.8 35.5 
Taros (Colocasia) 105.0 102.2 101.1  105.7  109.9  113.7  118.0  22.3 22.4 25.0  
Sugarcane 90.0 90.0 93.0 95.0 95.0 95.0 95.0 2.9 3.0 3.0 
Plantain bananas  83.0 81.0 87.3  82.0 82.1 85.0 88.0 17.1 16.9 18.2  
Fresh vegetables, nes 59.0 61.7 62.0 65.0 65.0 66.3 65.0 11.1 12.2 12.2 
Sesame 37.4 34.1 42.0  48.1 49.0 50.0 50.0 24.9 32.0 33.3  
Cottonseed 25.5 1.5 3.7 3.7 2.3 7.5 10.5 .. .. .. 
Cottonseed (for oil) 11.7 0.8 1.9  1.5 0.9 3.1 4.3 3.5 0.4 1.1  
Cotton fibres 10.1 0.5 1.2 1.5 1.0 3.1 4.1 14.4 2.1 5.9 
.. Not available. 
Source: FAO Stat. 
4.2.  Only 800,000 ha are cultivated annually in relation to agricultural potential estimated 
at some 15 million ha, or about 5.3% of the arab le area and less than 0.5 ha per agricultural 
worker. In addition, of a total area of pasture land estimated at 16 million ha, only 9 million ha are 
being used for an estimated herd of 3.7 million head of cattle.94 In the south of the country, dense 
rainforest covers some 46,162 km² or about 7.5% of the national territory. As in 2006, 
this situation is partly attributable to the constant risks of looting and destruction by armed gangs 
throughout the hinterland, which is depriving the inhabitants of their production, their flocks and their agricultural tools. The fact that a significant part of the country has still not been made safe against these armed gangs is a considerable disincentive to agricultural investment. Farmers 
limit their wheat cultivation to what is needed for their own consumption. 
4.3.  The poor condition of rural roads and the resulting isolation of areas of production are 
a second disincentive to the production of a marketable agricultural surplus. Even though 
the country devotes much of its investment budg ets to public works (Chart 4.1), the sectoral 
transport plans give priority to opening up the co untry externally rather than to opening up rural 
areas. The construction of roads and rural tracks seems an essential prerequisite for improving the 
production and trade of agricultural products. 
4.4.  The main institutions involved in the agricultural sector are: the 
Ministry of Rural Development (MDR) and the Ministry responsible for water and forests. 
The Ministry of Rural Development has set up two structures – the Agence centrafricaine 
                                                                 
93 Government of the Central African Republic (2011). 
94 National Agricultural Investment and Food  Security Programme (PNIASA), September 2012. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 341 - 
 
  de développement agricole (ACDA)95, and the Agence nationale de développement de 
l'élevage (ANDE) – in order to provide services to farmers and breeders, respectively. The Centre rural d'éducation et de formation (CREF) serves the rural population, and the Institut centrafricain de recherche agronomique (ICRA) develops seeds and improved 
technologies, whilst the Chamber of Agriculture, li vestock, water, forestry, hunting and fishing and 
tourism represents rural areas. 
4.5.  The 2012 Finance Law has earmarked CFAF 9.7 billion (less than €15 million) for agriculture 
and rural development, and CFAF 2.9 billion for expenses related to water, forests, hunting and 
fishing. This represents some 5% of the to tal budget of CFAF 239 billion (Chart 4.1). 
Chart 4.1 Main budget items 2012, by chapter 
(in thousands of CFAF ) 
05,000,00010,000,00015,000,00020,000,00025,000,00030,000,000
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Agriculture 
and Rural 
DevelopmentNationale
DefencePublic
HealthEnergy and 
water 
resourcesTeachingTotal:  239,054,234
Agriculture 
and Rural 
DevelopmentWater, 
forests, hunting 
and 
fishingEquipment, 
public works, 
Opening upNational
DefencePublic
HealthOffice of the 
President of 
the Republic
 
Source: Finance Law (2012). 
4.6.  The virtual absence of effective supervisio n of the distribution of seeds, fertilizer and 
insecticides and their high cost on the domestic market partly explain the limited use of inputs 
of 0.6 kg/ha in the CAR compared to 6.7 kg/ha in Cameroon, 7 kg/ha in Burkina Faso, 8 kg/ha in Mali and 22 kg/ha in Côte d'Ivoire. The RCA has neither a well-suited agricultural credit system 
nor a legal framework governing the overall functioning of the sector, in particular 
producers' organisations. Also lacking is modern agro-pastoral land law that would pave the way for an official property market with land registration, which could in turn attract foreign investors. 
With the exception of the private coffee and oil palm plantations, the majority of farms come 
under the traditional property regime. The CAR has stated the need for external assistance 
in order to develop a modern land law system. 
4.7.  The lack of suitable stores and storage facilities is also a major obstacle, causing the 
alteration of the quality of agricultural and livestock products, and negatively impacting 
the potential earnings of producers. Finally, trucks transporting goods are generally subject to harassment on the roads (common report, Chapter 3.2). For all these reasons the agricultural 
sector's performance is very poor. Crop and livestock production is not keeping pace with 
population growth. Consequently, the CAR, once a net food exporter, is now an importer. More than 50% of the value of imports into the CAR comprises agricultural products 
and foodstuffs.
96 
                                                                 
95 Online information, ACDA website.  Viewed at: http://www.acda-rca.org. 
96 Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (2011). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 342 - 
 
  4.1.2  Agricultural policies 
4.8.  The needs of the urban population are primarily met through imports from neighbouring 
countries. Anti-competitive practices are rampant, and are a reflection of the small number of economic operators who are both importers and transporters (see below in the case of sugar). 
4.9.  Few domestic or foreign companies are investing in the agriculture and livestock sector 
in the CAR despite the mainly tax and customs advantages available under the National Investment Charter (Chapter 2.5). Two entities were approved between 2010 and 2011 
under the Investment Charter: the agro-pastoral farm in Bimon, with an investment programme 
of CFAF 105 million (€160,000 euros), the Centrafricaine de raffinage des oléagineux (CAROL) (CFAF 158 million), both for a period of three years. 
4.10.  The main tax incentives specifically for farmers/breeders under the General Tax 
Code (2012 Finance Law) are: 
i. the corporate income tax set at 20% of taxable profit instead of the normal rate 
of 30%; It is at least 0.5% of turnover by way of the flat-rate minimum tax (MFI); 
ii. exemption from the tax on agricultural companies, known as the tax on agricultural 
income, from the working of land de voted exclusively to food crops; 
iii. exemption from the business tax in the case of trade in agricultural products with 
a turnover of less than 30 million. 
4.11.  The relatively high tariff protection granted to agricultural production enterprises under 
the CEMAC CET (common Report, Chapter 3.2) is redu ced by the high duties also levied on inputs 
and on material and equipment required for this production (tools, small-scale mechanization, 
irrigation equipment, etc.), as described below in the case of palm oil. 
4.12.  The tax burden is made more onerous by the use of reference values. Internal taxes are 
also levied on agricultural products upon importation. These measures increase the cost of food 
products. Therefore, to reduce their costs, so me staples are exempt from of customs duties 
and internal taxes (VAT, excise duties, others). 
4.13.  The imposition of selective taxes on some agricultural products and not others creates 
distortions and inequalities between products, and detracts from the economic efficiency 
of the agricultural and pastoral sector and its growth and development prospects.
97 
Quantitative restrictions are also in place on imports, as in the case of sugar and flour, which are subject to an import monopoly. The same is true  of seasonal coffee import quotas (see below). 
4.1.3  Policy by subsector 
4.1.3.1  Coffee 4.14.  Coffee production plummeted from its peak of over 20,000 tonnes during 
the 1988/89 season to 2,500 tonnes during the 2004/05 season, almost all of which 
were exported. Exports were 4,693 tonnes in 2010/11 compared with 5,483 tonnes the previous year. On the other hand, the value of exports rose 21% in 2010, 
reaching CFAF 3,565 million in 2011 (€5.4 million) ow ing to the buoyancy of world market prices: 
the unit value rose 41.4% from CFAF 537/kg to CFAF 760/kg between December 2010 and December 2011. 
4.15.  Currently, coffee growers may either rece ive seedlings free of charge from the ICRA 
or obtain them from other producers. They then  produce, harvest and dry the coffee. They are 
required to sell their output to a cooperative or to ORCCPA-approved buyers. Buyers process the coffee, mainly by dehusking it, and then put it in bags for export. 
                                                                 
97 Ministry of Rural Development (2007). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 343 - 
 
  4.16.  The Office de réglementation de la commercialisation et du contrôle du conditionnement des 
produits agricoles (ORCCPA), which in March 3013 was seeking external partners to revive the subsector, is the Government structure responsi ble for supervising the coffee marketing season 
in all the production areas.
98 Coffee from the CAR must be marketed and exported through 
the ORCCPA. The ORCCPA is also responsi ble for quality control and packaging. 
4.17.  Export is the responsibility of the operators approved by the ORCCPA, which may also 
be buyers. Five exporters and 28 collectors were approved in March 2013. The administrative fees 
for buyers are CFAF 30,000 (€46) per harvest, to which must be added 12% of turnover paid 
to the DGID by way of the single global tax; they must file an application with the ORCCPA and provide collection statistics, as well as a sales contract with the exporter. For exporters, the administrative fees for each coffee harvest are CFAF 100,000 plus a warehouse license fee 
of CFAF 20,000 and the 12% of turnover paid to the DGID as the single global tax. They must also 
provide collection statistics. 
4.18.  The ORCCPA proposes indicative coffee prices the prices to producers (payable by buyers 
and exporters) based on world prices at the start of  every harvest. These indicative prices are then 
fixed by order of the Minister of Rural Developmen t; the indicative price can be adjusted should 
world prices fluctuate by more than 10%. 
4.19.  The fee collected to finance the ORCCPA for the quality certification service is lower for 
exports to member countries of the International Coffee Organization (ICO) than for those to non-member countries (CFAF 30/kg versus CFAF 60/kg). The analysis, inspection and issuance of the product inspection note costs CFAF 30,000 for ICO members and CFAF 60,000 
for non-members. 
4.20.  Coffee exports are not subject either to the 2% export tax or the 3% IMF. They are subject 
to a 0.5% computer fee. 
4.21.  Imports of coffee other than coffee seeds are subject to customs duty of 30% 
under the CEMAC CET. In addition to the cu stoms duty, imported coffee is also subject 
to a CFAF 10 tax per kg. The ban on coffee imports during certain periods is designed to ensure 
the sale of local cafe. 
4.1.3.2  Cotton 4.22.  For the most part, cotton cultivation is done on a small scale in the central 
and north-western regions, many parts of which are described as "unsafe". This is likely to limit 
their appeal as potential investment destinations. Despite the recurring conflicts in these areas, 
cotton cultivation is believed to be  taking off again. (Table 4.1). 
4.23.   Cotton fibre output was roughly 4,000 tonnes in 2009-2010 (10,000 tonnes of seed 
cotton), worth CFAF 3.7 billion (€5.6 million). The Government has introduced a cotton subsector 
recovery plan for the 2011-2015 period designed to boost the output of seed cotton to 45,600 tonnes in 2014-2015. This would be achieved in part by increasing the yield 
from 572 to 760 kg per ha, in particular through the use of inputs (fertilizers, insecticides 
and herbicides) and irrigation. 
4.24.  When the private cotton company SOCADETEX went bankrupt in 2005, the Government 
entrusted the management of the subsector to th e "Cotton Unit" (Cellule Coton) in the ACDA, 
which relaunched cotton production from 2006 to 2012; for that purpose the Government 
funded inputs in accordance with their availability. The Cotton Unit was replaced by China's State Development Investment Corporation (SDIC) in February 2012 after the signing 
of a ten-year management contract between the O ffice of the President of the Republic and the 
Chinese partner. The SDIC has built a new cotton ginning plant with a capacity of 250 tonnes per day and which was inaugurated on 9 December 2012. An oil mill is set to start operations 
in June 2013. 
                                                                 
98 Law No. 91.013 of 25 September 1991. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 344 - 
 
  4.25.  Seeds are currently produced by the ICRA and made available free of charge to growers; 
it also provides inputs (on credit). Cotton farmers are organized into Cotton Producers' Groups (GPC), which are in turn  brought together in the Fédération communale 
des producteurs de coton (FCPC), the Fédération préfectorale des producteurs de coton (FPPC) 
and the Union Nationale des Producteurs de coton (UNPC). Each GPC organizes its own collection 
of seed cotton (self-managed market) and in re turn for the service provided, receives fees 
of CFAF 4,320 per tonne. The SDIC buys cotton at the indicative price set in accordance with 
the 'Waddell method' in May each year.
99 The final price is determined in October of each year. 
Loans for inputs (fertiliser, insecticide, etc. ) are deducted directly from growers' income. 
4.26.  The SDIC transports seed cotton to one of two plants (Bossangoa or Bambari) for ginning; 
thanks to the efforts of the Cotton Unit, the Guiffa plant could be rehabilitated and was operational 
for the 2012 season. Transport services (by road) are provided by private entities; cotton fibre 
is exported to Cameroon whilst the Unit sells dehusked cotton seed to HUSACA (a private company) at CFAF 25/kg for oil production. Cottonseed oil production was discontinued two years 
ago and cottonseed sold to HUSACA at CFAF 10/kg, the current price 
being CFAF 15/kg. The dehusking unit was sold to HUSACA which moved it to Guiffa in return for the destocking of cottonseed and the permanent maintenance of the facility. 
4.1.3.3  Sugar 
4.27.  The aim of the CAR's trade policy as regards sugar is to safeguard and promote employment 
in the sugar producing areas, where joblessness is high. This policy is also conditioned by regulations on sugar in the CEMAC area , which, amongst other things, approves 
of the administration of prices, and of quantities traded (common report, Chapter 4.2).
100 
CEMAC regulations organize the production and sale of sugar within the Community (common report, Chapter 4). It taxes non- CEMAC sugar exorbitantly, thereby making 
it less competitive, while the production capaci ty of the sugar companies in the CEMAC area 
is insufficient to meet subregional needs. According to authorities, the sugar companies do not abide by the staff recruitment planning and above all, career planning in these units. Furthermore, 
SUCAF enjoys full exemption from corporate income tax. 
4.28.  The privately-owned company Sucrière en Afrique (SUCAF-RCA), which belongs to the 
French SOMDIAA group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CAR in 2003. The Memorandum determines the organization of the Central African sugar market up to 2013. 
Under the 2003 Memorandum, SUCAF undertook to invest CFAF 5 billion (€7.2 million) 
to modernize the sugar industry, hire most of the staff of the former SOGESCA and to expand 
production capacity to 15,000 tonnes in 2012-2013. Production has in fact risen from 3,600 tonnes 
in 2004 to 11,154 tonnes in 2011. According to the authorities, the agricultural potential does exist 
for increasing output, but plant capacity has remained unchanged. 
4.29.  In the framework of this Memorand um, SUCAF-RCA has benefited from a package 
of Government measures designed to shield it from competition, but which are hardly compatible 
with the WTO Agreement or with the Community provisions (common report, Chapter 3.4): a 90% monopoly on sugar imports
101, managed by an interministerial body for the regulation of sugar 
imports102 which sets quarterly import quotas based on SUCAF output, estimated consumption, 
re-exports and inventories. This body then allocates the remaining 10% on a pro rata  basis 
                                                                 
99 This formula was derived from a report and takes account of the following elements when determining 
the minimum price guaranteed to producers: the cost of  basic inputs (fertilizers and pesticides) and labour; 
amortization of small tools; the level of intensificatio n of cotton production; and the real price of inputs 
(truthful pricing). 
100 Regulation No. 19/07-UEAC-166-CM-16 of 8 December 2007 regulating the trade in sugar in the 
CEMAC area. 
101 This measure was notified to the WTO under Article XIX of the GATT 1994 (WTO document 
G/TBT/N/CAF/3 of 1 December 2004). 
102 Prime Ministerial Order No. 031 of 31 March 2008 creating an Interministerial Body for 
the Regulation of the Sugar Market in the Central Afri can Republic (ORMS) and establishing its powers. Two 
bodies within the Ministry of Trade and Industry are responsible for monitoring su gar stocks. They are: the 
Supply and Distributi on Control Unit, which controls the regular inventory of staple goods including sugar; and 
the Sugar Market Regulatory Body, wh ich exclusively controls sugar stocks  so that quantities and quarterly 
needs can be determined. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 345 - 
 
  to requesting importers who meet the establis hed requirements. One of these requirements 
is having a turnover in excess of CFAF 500 milli on (€726,000), which rules out small importers. 
4.30.  To enable SUCAF to cover the domestic market, the Government has provisionally reduced 
the rate of customs duty from 30% to 10% until the end of 2012. 
 consumer prices are approved by an Order i ssued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry 
based on SUCAF's costs and margins, an a pproach which, according to the press, 
is having no real impact on the high pric e of sugar: in August 2012, sugar was trading 
at over CFAF 1,000/kg, whilst the price was approved at CFAF 850/kg in March 2013. 
In principle, therefore, the SUCAF is sure not to sell at a loss; 
 duty and tax concessions are accorded on all imports of machinery, 
materials and equipment required for the SUCAF investment programme; 
 similarly, a five-year corporation tax waiver is also granted. 
4.31.  After a decade of this regime, production has clearly not expanded as expected, with 
the SUCAF-RCA barely managing to produce 11,000 tonnes in 2012; domestic consumption 
(excluding re-exports) was estimated at 30,000 tonnes and imports at 13,000 tonnes. 
4.32.  The main consequence of the high taxation of sugar, a staple product, is that households 
have even less money to spend, which contradicts the very objectives of the sugar policy. 
The import monopoly is giving rise to fraudulent imports and a thriving black market.103 The sugar 
imported by the SUCAF was apparently being delivered to wholesalers at a price considered exorbitant in September 2012, which then sold it on  to retailers at two or three times the price. 
Some families have turned to local honey as a substitute. 
4.33.  Import quotas are set on the basis of domestic consumption only, and takes no account 
of informal re-exports to the DRC and Sudan. These re-exports are substantial and accordingly reduce the amounts available in the domestic market, placing greater upward pressure on prices. 
They do suggest nevertheless that the CAR is naturally situated at the centre of a potential 
regional market for this product. 
4.34.  Besides, the north and east of the co untry are not being served by SUCAF despite 
its principal mission to supply the entire national territory. 
4.1.3.4  Edible oils 4.35.  The palm oil market became the focus of attention in September 2012 in the CAR for two 
reasons: First, the soaring prices of staple products in 2012 affected palm oil and the soap that 
is made from it. The surge in prices was believed to be largely due to anti-competitive practices, 
in particular, agreements between importers to cr eate artificial shortages. There has also been 
some foreign private investment in the CAR's palm oil industry. The available statistics are 
presented in Table 4.2. 
4.36.  The Central African Palm Oil Company (CENTRAPALM) is a State-owned company set up 
in 1975 and produces palm oil from 2,500 ha with ADB assistance.
104 The processing plant has a 
capacity of 10 tonnes of fresh fruit bunches per hour. The average oil output, which 
is 300 tonnes p.a. for the domestic market only, has fluctuated considerably in recent years. The administered sale price is CFAF 440 per litre . CENTRAPALM received CFAF 48 million (€73,000) 
in subsidies for the purchase of a generator (2010) and the repair of the turbine (2012). 
Some 70-80% of CENTRAPALM's turnover comes from oil sales to the privately-owned companies 
Huilerie et savonnerie centrafricaine (H USACA) and SAVEX for soap manufacture. 
                                                                 
103 Globe le visionnaire, Thursday 26 July 2012. Viewed at: http://globevisionnaire.6mablog.com/ 
post/La-SODIF-cr%C3%A9erait-elle-la-p%C3%A9nurie-du-sucre-en-Centrafrique%C2%A0. 
104 African Development Bank online information. Viewed at: http://www.a fdb.org/fr/projects-and-
operations/. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 346 - 
 
  Table 4.2 Palm oil production and trade indicators, 2000, 2005-2010 
 Years 
 2000  2005  2006  2007  2008 2009 2010  
Output/bunches (T) 10,188  10,122  13,414  9,200  4,721 131 4,077  
Area (ha) 2,107  2,107  2,107  1,995  1,668 1,087 1,087  
Oil output (T) 2,183  1,846  2,525  1,693  869 23 703 
Output of palm kernels (T) 320  214 249 184 94 6 153  
Source: Central African authorities.  
4.37.  The priority aim of the authorities is to develop village palm groves. The goal is to produce 
an additional 4,000 tonnes of oil palm, and the proj ect is part of the CAR's first "Tier 2" project 
in the Enhanced Integrated Framework, with corn and sesame. This calls for improved varieties, 
adequate supervision, and investment in small proc essing units (dryers, oil presses, huskers, etc.). 
The high level of taxes under the CET on imports of  hitches, transportation equipment, small tools, 
as well as equipment such as dryers, presses and huskers at rates ranging from 10% to 30% 
is driving up production costs in the subsector. A project has been launched to identify growers and provide them with inputs, but has not been implemented. 
4.38.  According to the ISIC definition, the simple average of the tariffs applied in the edible fats 
and oils industry is 20.8%, which is below the average rate levied on inputs, and this is likely to discourage production. The Government would set a reference value for imports of unrefined palm oil (dutiable at a CET rate of 20% or higher depending on the product), but the 2012 
Finance Law seems to indicate that palm oil is no longer subject to this rate. The use of import 
reference values would reinforce this tariff protection and increase the cost of edible oils to households. Following the approval of prices by the Ministry of Trade, palm oil is being sold 
at CFAF 559 per litre. Industrial oil sells for CFAF 499 per litre. 
4.1.3.5  Livestock rearing 4.39.  The CAR has had its herd of cattle since 1920 thanks to the large-scale immigration 
of breeders attracted by the vast and rich pastur es, and encouraged by a policy providing security 
and Government support. The CAR thus became an exporter of cattle to neighbouring countries in the 1980s. Some 9.3 million ha, out of a total of 16 million, are thought be used for livestock comprising 3.2 million tropical livest ock units, essentially transhumant. 
4.40.  The authorities believe that given secure farming conditions, the pastures 
in the Central African Republic could easily support over 8 million head of cattle under current conditions, which rely on extensive traditional methods. However, cattle rearing has undergone 
considerable upheavals in recent years as a result of the exodus of herders and their cattle, 
fleeing the insecurity of the hinterland. 
4.41.  The regulatory framework for livestock farming dates from 1965
105; and also in part 
from the 1975 import and export regulations.106 As things stand, besides significantly 
improving security, exploiting the CAR's cattle rearing potential would call for a considerable strengthening of epidemiological surveillance.
107 Under the supervision of the Ministry of Rural 
Development (MDR), the Interprofessional Live stock Development Fund (FIDE), a government 
body responsible veterinary matters, and more generally for financing the activities of the livestock 
sector, has been replaced by the Agropastoral Development Fund (APDF) under Law No. 07.015 of 19 June 2007.
108 The National Livestock De velopment Agency (ANDE) 
is responsible for combating communicable diseases  by controlling the quality of animal products 
and livestock-related movements and transactions; it is also responsible for health inspection. The authorities describe the livestock farming infrastructure
109 as "largely in a state of advanced 
dilapidation and even abandonment". Many livestock markets are no longer enclosed. 
                                                                 
105 Law No. 65/61 of 3 June 1965. 
106 Decree No. 75/079 of 15 February 1975. 
107 CAR (undated). 
108 National Advisory Committee of the CAR (2003). 
109 Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture (2011). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 347 - 
 
  4.42.  The State Slaughterhouse Management Company (SEGA) is responsible for public 
slaughterhouses. Only the refrigerated slaughterhouse in Bangui in fact has cold rooms, which were not functioning in August 2012 and slaughte ring conditions were described as a hazard 
to human health in Bangui.
110 Modern slaughterhouses and meat-processing units are few 
in number and their activities are not monitored. Clandestine slaughtering is the order of the day. 
4.43.  The quality control tax is CFAF 50/kg of imported meat (of any kind) compared 
with CFAF 10/kg for meat (of any ty pe) produced locally or exported.111 T h e  m e a t  i m p o r t e r  o r  
exporter pays these taxes to the ANDE. 
4.44.  The CAR is a member of the Economic Commission on Cattle, Meat and Fish Resources 
(CEBEVIRHA, see common report, Chapter 4.2). There are several taxes on livestock exports: the export authorization costs CFAF 5,000; the CEBEVIRHA document costs CFAF 50 per head 
of cattle (though the receipts do not go to the CEBEVIRHA); and sanitary 
control costs CFAF 2,000/head (CFAF 1000/head for small livestock).
112 The FNEC 
collects CFAF 2000/head; The FIDE CFAF 2000/head; and the Federation of Livestock 
Traders CFAF 1000/head. 
4.45.  The customs tariff applicable to cattle on the hoof is 30%, for bovine meat it is 20% 
and for cattle hides 10%; this points to a negative tariff escalation that could discourage the 
production of animal products. 
4.1.3.6  Fishing and aquaculture 4.46.  Commercial fishing takes place on a small scale in rivers and there are some fish farms 
in operation. The volume of inland fishing and aquaculture in the Central African Republic 
has increased substantially between 2000 (less than 15,000 tonnes) and 2010 
(over 35,000 tonnes).
113 The reasons for this dynamism since 2006 include the privatization 
or closure of two Government-owned fish farms, and the creation of several private entities. 
4.47.  The draft Central African Fishing and Aquacu lture Code described in the TPR in 2006 is still 
awaiting approval and enactment.114 It would replace Ordinance No. 71/090 of 6 August 1971 
on fishing, which does not appear to have been implemented. 
4.48.  Investors wishing to invest in the fisheries sector in the CAR may approach 
the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and in particular the Department in charge of Water and Forestry, Hunting, Fishing, the Environment and Ecology, which is responsible for developing fisheries and aquaculture. The FAO is currently evaluating fisheries and aquaculture 
potential. 
4.49.  The CEBEVIRHA is in charge of fishery reso urces for the purposes of revitalizing fisheries 
and aquaculture in the CEMAC area
115; The CAR also participates in the Programme for 
the sustainable Development of the Lake Chad Basin (PRODEBALT), and the Agropastoral 
Recovery Programme (PRAP), which falls within  the remit of the Ministry of Agriculture 
and Rural Development, includes a fishing and aquaculture component. 
4.50.  The tariff protection rate for imported frozen  fish is 30% under the CET, plus an excise duty 
of 25%, and a 3% advance on corporation or income tax (IR/IS), each levied on a customs value calculated using a minimum reference value set by the Administration. This product is also subject to a 19% VAT. 
                                                                 
110 Bangui: Mauvaises conditions d'abattage des bœuf s constituent un danger pour la santé , published 
by RJDH-RCA (http://reseaudesjournalistesrca.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/bangui-mauvaises-conditions-dabattage-des-boeufs-constituent-un-danger-pour-la-sante) on 21 August 2012. 
111 Order No. 0018/MPMR/CAB/2001 of 25 April 2001. 
112 Decision No. 1-94-CEBEVIRHA-018-CE-29 and Interministerial Order No. 0020/2001 
of 25 April 2001. 
113 FAO, Profils des pêches et de l'aquaculture par pays. Viewed at: 
http://www.fao.org/fishery/c ountrysector/FI-CP_CF/3/fr. 
114 This Code would replace Ordinance No. 71/090 of 6 August 1971 on fishing which does not appear 
to have been implemented. 
115 Economic Commission on Cattle, Meat and Fish ery Resources. Viewed at: http://cebevirha.org. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 348 - 
 
  4.1.4  Forestry 
4.51.  Logging is the country's chief export sector and its main source of external revenue 
(Chapter 1.4); it accounts for about a quarte r of total tax revenue (excluding grants). 
The available statistics are shown in Table 4.3. The production of logs and processed products 
fluctuates considerably from year to year, owing to conflicts and other internal obstacles 
to production, and depending on external demand, which plummeted after 2008. The crisis has badly affected the sector and the current recovery is halting. The wood for export travels 
some 1,500 kilometres by truck to the port of Douala in Cameroon, a process plagued by 
numerous obstacles. The leading export market is China (48,587 m
3 in 2011), followed 
by Germany (48,427 m3) and France (30,006 m3). 
Table 4.3 Production and export of timber, 2000, 2005, 2008-2011 
(m3) 
 2000  2005  2008  2009 2010 2011a 
Output       
Logs 702,993  454,402  555,143  348,926 324,283 424,447  
Sawn timber 102,353  71,386  73,675  61,849 45,138 54,176  
Plywood 1,500  1,434  93 863 0 0 
Processed logs 313,161  219,189  .. .. .. ..  
Processing ratio (%) 47 50 54 50 .. .. 
Export of processed products 65,881  52,945  62,281  40,477 36,657 38,413  
Exports of logs 249,393  145,912  155,301  111,464 147,893 152,278  
(in millions of euros) ..  23.8 24.8 10.5 13.0 9.1  
.. Not available. 
a First three quarters. Source: Central African authorities. 
4.52.  The Central African Republic has 5.6 million ha of exploitable forests, almost all of which 
belong to the State. There are two major forest zones: that of the southwest (3.8 million ha), 
which is almost fully exploited (either under  "management and operating permits" (PEAs) 
or as nature reserves), with an overall potential of some 866 million m³; and the Bangassou Forest (1.8 million ha) in the south-east of the country, where exploitation is exclusively 
small-scale owing to its inaccessibility. Some 800,000 ha have not been allocated for industrial 
exploitation and have remained nature reserves. 
4.53.  There are some sixty listed species, but pr oduction involves fifteen species (the main ones 
being Sapelli, Sipo, African mahogany, Aniegre and Iroko). The areas of planted forests are 
negligible (about 7,000 ha). The factors that have contributed to the decline in production 
and exports are primarily structural (the implementation of the new Forestry Code with requirements for sustainable exploitation), as well as exogenous (falling world demand 
since 2008). 
4.54.  The regulatory framework for logging, which dates from 1990
116, was modernized with the 
Forestry Code enacted in 2008.117 One of the main innovations in the Code is a stronger ban on 
log exports. Forestry enterprises must process on-s ite at least 70% of the logs from the first-grade 
species, and only finished and semi-finished products (2nd and 3rd - stage processing) may be 
exported. In reality, the average processing rati o is around a mere 48%, and the enterprises are 
not being penalized. The current policy is to require forestry enterprises to install new units to 
undertake the second and third stages of processing locally. 
                                                                 
116 Law No. 90.003 of 9 June 1990. 
117 Law No. 08.022 of 17 October 2008 on the Forestry Code of the CAR and its implementing texts, 
which are Decree No. 09.117 of 28 April 2009 and Decree No. 09.021 of 30 April 2009 establishing the procedures for implementation of the law. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 349 - 
 
  4.55.  Another innovation in the draft Forestry Code concerns the introduction of the principle 
of sustainable management of forests into management plans, in keeping with the Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa.
118 
The Code aims to reconcile the exploitation of fore st products with the requirements of conserving 
forest assets and the biodiversity with a view  to sustainable development, and to ensure 
the conservation and protection of areas of vegetation to allow for their regeneration. On the other hand, the provisions of the Voluntary Partners hip Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) and REDD+, described 
in the common report, are not included; the Government's plan is to incorporate them 
subsequently in a new code. 
4.56.  Under the Code, forestry enterprises must obtain a "management and operating permit" 
(PEA), which determines the area of their concession and the conditions for exploiting it. PEAs are 
allocated for the lifetime of the company. The area s under PEAs are subject to taxation determined 
in the regulations and are the same for all companies: leasing tax (CFAF 500/ha of useful area under the PEA); felling tax (7% of the reference price per m
3); and the reforestation 
tax (11% of the reference price per exported m3 of all species). 
4.57.  Approved forestry companies are also requ ired to prepare and abide by a management plan 
to be included in the conservation, protection and forest management plan for the State's forests. 
According to the authorities, as of September 2012 all of the CAR's 11 PEAs attributed 
to concessionaires contained formally approved management plans. Three other non-operating permits were awaiting allocation. The CAR has put in place national standards for management plans. 
4.58.  In the central area of the country, there are also dry forests and forest galleries rich 
in exploitable species. Owing to the fragility of these forest ecosystems, only small-scale exploitation is permitted. In these areas, small- scale logging permits are granted only to natural 
persons who are nationals of the Central African Republic and have lived for more than ten years 
in the area, and to locally organized and registered groups. 
4.59.  Since 2000, forest management in the Central African Republic has been supported by 
the PARPAF project, which is funded by the Fr ench Development Agency (AFD). Amongst other 
things, this project has led to the development of operating standards, including a certificate of origin that ensures the traceability of exported logs. 
4.60.  The following duties and taxes are levied on exports of forestry products: the export tax 
is 8% of the f.o.b. value for wood in the roug h, 4% for sawn wood, and 1% for wood products. 
There is also a 2% levy by way of the flat-rate minimum tax, the levy on computer equipment for finance (REIF), the certificate of origin, and the phytosanitary certificate. Operators from the CAR 
complain that these taxes and others are again collected at time of export via the Port of Douala, 
which reduces their income. They mention: 
 handling charges for placing the goods on  board the ship ("f.o.b. charges"); 
 subcontracting commission charges: CFAF 15,000 per delivery note; 
 fees paid to the customs (TEL): CFAF 10,000 per delivery note (BL); 
 GUCE endorsement costs: CFAF 10,000/BL; 
 IT tax: CFAF 15,000/BL; 
 delivery note fee: CFAF 20,000/BL; 
 certificate of origin fee: CFAF 10,000/BL; 
                                                                 
118 This Treaty, which established the Commission on Forests in Central Africa (COMIFAC), was adopted 
at the Summit of Heads of State of Central Africa , held at Brazzaville on 4 and 5 February 2005. The 
implementation of the convergence plan agreed for th is purpose is intended to be financed by donors 
(the Partnership for forests in the Congo Basin (PFBC), launched at the Johannesburg Summit 
in September 2002). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 350 - 
 
   phytosanitary certificate fee: CFAF 10,000/BL; 
 EUR1 certificate fee: CFAF 5,000/BL; 
 the cost of storing wood with the Société d'Exploitation des Parcs à Bois of Cameroun ; 
 commissions on disbursements; 
 equipment rental fees; and 
 parking fees after 11 days (demurrage). 
4.61.  In the domestic market, a marketing system dating from 1992 and amended in 2006 
distinguishing between producer, wholesaler, retaile r and the consumer is no longer being applied, 
and sales take place freely.119 Owing to the market's failure to  abide by this marketing system, 
the Ministry of Trade and Industry has been setting reference values for wood prices since 2008.120 
The reference values are set on a half-yearly basis by interministerial order.121 
4.62.  In October 2010, a Government study on the marketing of wood highlighted the relative scarcity of wood products in the domestic market.
122 The Government's current priority objectives 
therefore to significantly increase the added value of these products and better satisfy the demand 
of the local population, more particularly, enabling access products being sold, the prices of which 
are largely beyond the reach. Nevertheless, the small-scale and Community permits envisaged under the Forestry Code have not yet been al located, and the villagers not yet organized 
and trained, which explains the low pr oduction capacity and unmet demand. 
4.63.  The study also confirms the persistence of  numerous instances of red tape and hidden taxes 
being collected all along the transport chain and the very poor condition of the supply routes, which are a strain on the cost price of the items being sold. 
4.2  Mining and Energy 
4.64.  The subsoil of the Central African Republic is rich in mineral deposits, including economically 
viable deposits of diamonds, gold and petroleum, which remain untapped owing to the combined 
effects of political crises and the inadequacy of infrastructure and transport.
123 
4.65.  Most of the energy currently being consumed comes from wood. Other resources include 
wood-based fuels, the numerous hydroelectric sites throughout the territory (whose potential total 
power is estimated by the authorities at 2000 GW),  promising signs of oil reserves, and uranium 
and lignite deposits (estimated at 2.9 million m3) in the town of Bakouma. 
4.66.  Energy and mining activities fall unde r the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Hydraulic 
Resources (MMEH).124 The Government's activities aim to improve the energy supply throughout 
the country at a competitive cost, to ensure the in dependence and security of the country's energy 
supply, to ensure the protection of people, property and the environment against the risks 
associated with activities in the field of en ergy and to strengthen subregional, regional 
and international energy integration. 
4.67.  The CAR was declared to be in conformity with the Extractive Industries Transparency 
Initiative (EITI) in March 2011. In doing so, the stakeholders and partners involved in the 
implementation of the EITI in the CAR have recognized its endeavours to achieve greater 
                                                                 
119 Decree No. 06.229 of 11 July 2006 establishing the implementation rules for Decree No. 92.002 
of 26 May 1992 liberalizing prices and regulating competition in the CAR. 
120 Order No. 010/MCIPME/DIRCAB of 14 July 2008 amen ding wholesale and retail margins and the list 
of cost prices of staple prod ucts subject to surveillance. 
121 Order No. 010/MCIPME/DIRCAB of 14 July 2008 amen ding wholesale and retail margins and the list 
of cost prices of staple prod ucts subject to surveillance. 
122 Central African Republic (2010). 
123 Ministry of Planning (2007). 
124 Online information. Viewed at : http://www.mmeh-rca.com/site_fr. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 351 - 
 
  transparency in the extractive industry. The EITI team in the CAR has a regularly updated 
website.125 Yet insecurity in the areas of production is one of the major constraints on the industry. 
4.2.1  Mining products 4.68.  Only diamonds and gold are being exploited in a small-scale, semi-mechanized manner. 
According to the authorities,  there is a deposit of 33,000 tonnes of uranium metal in Bakouma. 
The iron deposit in Bogoin contains proven rese rves of 3.5 million tonnes of ore with a grade 
of 60-65%. Mineralized quartz, copper and lignite  have also been located. There indications 
of the presence of manganese, tin, nickel, chromi um and rare earths in areas scattered throughout 
the country. 
4.69.  Although the weight of the mining industry in economic activity is negligible and the amount 
of its foreign exchange earnings modest, it does represent a significant share of exports 
(Chapter 1). The world financial crisis of 2008-200 9 was followed by an 18% decline in the value 
of exports, worth roughly €45 million (Chart 4.2). Th e bulk of diamond exports goes to in Belgium. 
4.70.  Altogether seven foreign mining companies have exploration licenses, including 
De Beers (2004) and Axmin-Aurafrique (2001) which discovered a gold deposit in Ndassima. 
On the whole, however, mining production in the CAR is on a small scale. Central African diamonds 
are recognized as being of particularly high qual ity. They are exported rough and are cut almost 
exclusively abroad. Over the past six years, the ADAMAS SWISS buying house has melted 
and exported gold as ingots, until the ANANT EXIM foundry ceased operations in 2011. There are currently no foundries or diamond cutting plants in the CAR owing to insufficient investment in processing and to fraudulent exports of the raw material. 
4.71.  In 2009, the authorities introduced a new Mining Code in replacement of a 2004 ordinance, 
in order to promote private investment in the CAR.
126 The new Code provides for the possibility 
of organizing mining workers into cooperatives of craftsmen, a policy which according 
to the authorities has borne fruit. The cooperatives are now authorized to export. 
Chart 4.2 Diamond exports and prices, 2005-2011 
05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,000
050,000100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000400,000450,000
2005
200620072008200920102011In millions of CFAF Carats
Exported output in caratsValue of exports
 
Source: BECDOR. 
                                                                 
125 Online information, EITI-CAR Steering Committee. Viewed at: 
http://www.itierca.org/Equipe_r4.html. 
126 Law No. 09.005 of 29 April 2009 on the Mining Code has replaced Ordinance No. 04.001 
of February 2004. Its implementing Decree is No. 09.126. Viewed at: http://www.smartrade-co.com/demo/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2010/11/caf96686.pdf. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 352 - 
 
  4.72.  The Mining Code governs prospecting, exploration, exploitation, possession, movement 
and processing of all mineral substances in the CAR with the exception of uranium and hydrocarbons, which are covered by specia l provisions (see below). The State owns the 
country's mineral substances. The mining rights defined in the Code are: 
 prospecting authorization only given to natural persons of Central African nationality, 
for one year, renewable once only; 
 the reconnaissance permit, which is valid for one year as from its date of issue. It is 
renewable by Order of the MMEH in the same form, for the same period, and as many 
times as required by its holder provided on condition of compliance with the mining regulations; 
 the exploration permit, valid for three years as from the date of the decree granting 
it. It is renewable twice for consecutive three-year periods; 
 the small-scale exploitation authorization is valid for two years, renewable for two years 
at a time, provided that the area concerned is not the subject of an application for 
an industrial operating permit; 
 the authorization for small-scale, semi-mechanized exploitation is valid for three years 
as from the date of issue. It is re newable for three years at a time; and, 
 the industrial operating permit, valid for 25 years as from the date of the decree 
awarding it. It is renewable for consecutive five-year periods. 
4.73.  The State may take a share of 10% or more in the capital of mining companies holding 
prospecting or exploitation permits without paymen t; the share depends on the size of the deposit 
and the nature of the mineral. Mining rights are subject to ad valorem  taxes on mining output 
and to small-scale mining taxes set in the Mining Code. 
4.74.  In 2009 the authorities also established a model mining agreement that would apply to all 
mining companies. To encourage investment, exempt ions are available during the first three years 
of operation. Machinery and equipment needed fo r prospecting and exploitation (including site 
vehicles) are eligible for the temporary admission regime. 
4.75.  The Office for Geological Research and Mining (ORGEM) was created in April 2009 under 
the new Code. The ORGEM is an autonomous body responsible for improving the geological knowledge of the country and furthering the development of geological and mineral resources in the Central African Republic. Its responsibilities include rebuilding databases for the purposes 
of allocating areas to mining companies. 
4.76.  The diamond subsector employs around 80,000 small-scale miners, who are required to sell 
to 300 approved collectors who in turn sell to ten "purchasing bureaux". Under the Code, 
small-scale miners must sell their output to the collectors, who sell on to the purchasing bureaux, 
which in turn supply the processing plants or export the product themselves. 
4.77.  To be a collector a candidate must: (i) be of  good character; (ii) never have been convicted 
of a criminal offense or of breaching the mining legislation; (iii) not be a shareholder or employee 
of a mining company, a purchasing bureau, a ge m-cutting plant, a jewellery store or a foundry 
or a member of a mining cooperative; (iv) have paid for his collector's licence for the current year. The amount of the licence fee is set annually by the Government. Foreign nationals may 
be allowed to practice as a collectors only if they have lived for at least five consecutive years 
in the CAR; have made a real estate investment there of at least CFAF 50 million; and provide evidence of financial capacity of at least CFAF 10 million. 
4.78.  Only legal entities meeting the following conditions can be considered as purchasing 
bureaux: having a minimum equity capital of CFAF 50 million fully paid-up at the time of their incorporation; having made a deposit of CFAF 50 million (€76,200) with the Treasury; 
within three years as from the date of approval, making real estate investments worth at 
least CFAF 350 million (the State or the local authority provides land free of cost on WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 353 - 
 
  w h i c h  t o  b u i l d ) ;  w i t h i n  a  p e r i o d  o f  f i v e  y e a r s ,  b u i l d i n g  a  h e a d  o f f i c e  o f  a  m i n i m u m  v a l u e  
of CFAF 150 million; and within a period of one year, having five secondary purchasing centres. 
Exporting is restricted to purchasing bureaux and mining companies. Mining cooperatives may nevertheless make exports worth at least CFAF 20 million (€30,769). According to the information 
available, ten purchasing bureaux were approved in 2012. 
4.79.  The Minerals and Gems Agency (COMIGEM) was established in 2009 to facilitate the trade 
of small-scale miners and the purchase of their products at the best prices. It is responsible for 
fostering and promoting transactions in precious and semi-precious minerals. The COMIGEM 
is a State purchasing bureau and is subjec t to the same requirements as the other 
purchasing bureaux. 
4.80.  Under the Mining Code, assessments of the taxable value of gold, diamonds other precious 
and semi-precious stones and metals intended for export are done exclusively by the Bureau for 
the Valuation and Control of Diamonds and Gold (BECDOR). Among its requests for technical assistance in this TPR, the MMEH has included the need for capacity building in diamond and gold 
marketing expertise. Through the Property Righ ts and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) 
project, the USAID is seeking to contribute to the development of the mining sector in the CAR by improving traceability in the diamond indust ry. The CAR also participates in the Kimberley 
Process (KP), whose Permanent Secretariat is responsible for controlling and issuing certificates 
of origin and ensuring traceability in the artisanal diamond circuit based assessments by the BECDOR. 
4.81.  The taxes for official diamond exports are: the export tax (DS), 4%; the levy on computer 
equipment for finance (REIF), 0.5%; the Mining Industry Development Project (PDSM), 1%; 
the Permanent Secretariat of the Kimberley Process (SPPK), 0.5%; the flat-rate minimum 
tax (IMF), 3%; and the diamond tax (TSD), 3%. In short, the purchasing bureau pays taxes 
equivalent to 12% of the value of diamond exports.  The taxes for official exports of gold are: DS 
of 1%; REIF of 0.5%; PDSM of 0.75%; and IMF of 3%, or altogether 5.25% of the 
value of exports. Depending on the weight of a uranium sample, the tax is CFAF 500 per kg 
plus CFAF 2,500 per 7 kg batch. 
4.82.  The import of mining substances is subject to the payment of duties and taxes, including 
a tariff at the maximum rate of 30%, VAT of 19%  and excise duty of 25% on precious stones. 
4.83.  As regards uranium, a special regulatory framework was adopted at the end of 2006 
to facilitate exploitation of the Bakouma deposit by URANIM, a privately-owned company. 
This framework also includes the requirement to pr ocess radioactive minerals in the country before 
export, as well as to manage waste and to market radioactive substances in keeping with 
international standards. In addition to the provisions of the Mining Code, the possession, holding, 
transport, processing, handling and marketing of  mineral substances or radioactive products 
and all operations relating to them are subject to  prior authorization. The relevant procedures are 
laid down in laws and regulations, in particular the law on radioactive minerals. Such activities are 
also subject to international rules on radioactive substances. 
4.2.2  Petroleum products 4.84.  The CAR does not currently produce either petroleum or natural gas. Nevertheless, 
according to the authorities, there are promising signs along the border with Chad and these are 
currently being explored by a Chinese company.  Prospecting, explorat ion, exploitation and 
transport of hydrocarbons by pipeline through the Central African Republic are governed by 
Ordinance No. 93.007 of 25 May 1993 introducing the Petroleum Code of the 
Central African Republic
127, the provisions of which are administered by the MMEH; under this law, 
fossil substances in national territory are the property of the State. 
4.85.  In 2007 with the end of the period of ex clusivity in favour of PETROCA, a parastatal 
company, the downstream oil industry was reorganized with the passing of three laws: Law No. 07.005 of 24 April 2007 reorganizing the downstream oil industry in the CAR, Law No. 07.006 of 24 April 2007 establishing the Agency for the Stabilization and Regulation of 
Petroleum Product Prices (ASRP), and Law No. 07.007 establishing the Société centrafricaine 
                                                                 
127 Ordinance No. 93.007 of 25 May 1993. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 354 - 
 
  de stockage des produits pétroliers (SOCASP) in replacement of the Société de gestion des actifs 
logistiques (SOGAL) which until 2007 had been responsible for storing finished petroleum products. 
4.86.  Law No. 07.005 regulates competition, the gr anting of approval and licenses, and contains 
specifications for operators, as well as prices. The ASRP is responsible for monitoring changes 
in price structure, competitive bidding for the provision of supplies to the country, as well as the rules and challenges, with a view to ensuri ng the proper functioning of the subsector 
and its development throughout the national territory. The SOCASP is 51% State-owned, 
and is exclusively responsible for the storage and handling of all petroleum products and derivatives; the remaining 49% of its capital is privately owned. 
4.87.  The other downstream oil industry activiti es (import, re-export, transport, distribution 
and marketing of hydrocarbons) are all undertaken by "marketers" (distributors). Two decrees 
were published in 2012, namely, Decree No. 12.019 establishing the regulations implementing Law No. 07.005 of 24 April 2007 reorga nizing the downstream petroleum sub-sector 
in the CAR and Decree No. 12.128 amending  and supplementing the provisions 
of Decree No. 11.372 of 30 December 2011 prescribing the pricing methodology for petroleum products in the CAR. 
4.88.  Access for private persons to these activities is subject to approval given through a decree 
issued by the Council of Ministers on the advice of an interministerial commission. Three marketers are currently present on the market and eight other companies are awaiting approval. Fuel imports for 2011 rose to CFAF 18.7 billion (€28.6 million, or roughly €7 per capita). Until September 2011, 
service stations were supplied by two the companies Total-Centrafrique and Trading d'exportation 
de pétrole brut et de produits pétroliers (TRADEX); SARPD Oil has been active since then. 
4.89.  Distributors import either by river via Ki nshasa or overland via Douala in Cameroon and 
N'Djamena in Chad. The current regulations stipul ate that 80% of the country' supply must be by 
river and 20% by road, given the high cost of land  transport. The use of SOCATRAF, the only river 
transporter, and the limited capacity of road tran sporters are constraints on competition. One of 
the factors driving up costs is the impossibility of supplying the CAR by river from Cameroon and 
above all from Chad. 
4.90.  The distributor margin is determined accord ing to the type of product and the amount to be 
sold under the investment plan negotiated by each distributor with the Government. A 15% 
"manager's" margin is in place for services related to the operation of service stations and storage. 
The prices at the pump in March 2013 were CFAF 880/litre for super, CFAF 660/litre for kerosene, and CFAF 870/litre for diesel. The scale of rates also includes a single tax on petroleum 
products (TUPP), which is specific. Cust oms duties are levied. When the "State 
Support/repayment" item is positive, a repayment must be made to the Government; but when it is negative, it is the State that makes a pay-out to marketers.
128 
4.91.  The ASRP sets prices by reference to world prices and to those in force in other 
CEMAC countries. This agency acts as the secretariat for the petroleum product price structure committee and submits the price structure on a monthly basis for approval by the Minister responsible for energy. The agency is also respon sible for monitoring the security stocks that 
distributors must maintain, and works jointly with the Ministry responsible for energy to combat 
fraud in this area. 
4.2.2.1  Electricity 
4.92.  In 2005, a new Electricity Code liberalized electricity generation, transmission 
and distribution and authorized the operation of independent producers.
129 However, the consumer 
prices of electricity have not changed for seven years and are still fixed at levels that are 
insufficient to cover the subsector's costs of production, let alone technical losses. It is in part for 
this reason that the CAR's electricity subsector remains underdeveloped, and little progress has been made despite the legislative changes of 20 05. Less than 3% of the population has access 
                                                                 
128 Decree No. 12.128 of 6 June 2012 amending and supplementing the provisions of Decree No. 11.372 
of 30 December 2011 prescribing the pricing methodology for petroleum products in the CAR. 
129 Ordinance No. 05.001 of 1 January 2005. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 355 - 
 
  to electricity (19% in Bangui). The current total supply is estimated at 18.75 MW and has not 
changed since 2006, it falls short of demand and load shedding and power cuts are frequent. 
4.93.  Most of the output of ENERCA, the national  company, is hydroelectricity. The Boali 1 power 
station (built in 1954) and the Boali 2 station (1976), with a total capacity of 18.75 MW, 
are located some 80 km from Bangui and are linked to the capital by two medium-voltage lines. 
These facilities are in an extremely dilapidated condition, hence the losses. Thermal energy represents only 2% of the total production; it is rarely used owing to the high cost of fuel. 
4.94.  ENERCA still finds it di fficult to collect its revenue, particularly from State-owned 
enterprises. The Directorate-General for Energy, the Autonomous Regulatory Agency for the Electricity Sector (ARSEC, currently being se t up) and ENERCA have spoken of a need for 
capacity building in the area of pricing and the methodology for implementing the pricing structure 
in the electricity subsector. 
4.95.  In the provinces ENERCA generates electric ity from thermal sources; secondary centres are 
supplied with electricity for four to five hours a day. Companies (such as forestry enterprises or 
the SUCAF) often turn to generating their own po wer, some of which they are permitted under the 
new law (see below) to sell on to other clients or to ENERCA, though not at freely negotiated prices. These self-supplying entities would like the surrounding communities to be able to 
contribute to the purchase of materials for power transmission and facilities. 
4.96.  The town of Mobaye (608 km from Bangui) is supplied with electricity imported from a plant 
in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those imports are subject to the CEMAC CET rate of 10% and 19% VAT. The amount being im ported from the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo (DRC) to Mobaye is 677 MWH. 
4.97.  According to the Code, the production, transmission, import, export, distribution and sale 
of electricity are open to competition. Authorization is required for each activity from the Ministry 
responsible for energy, based on a technical opinion from the ARTEC.
130 Approved producers may 
supply their customers through the ENERCA network or may set up their own networks. Several texts are awaiting signature, covering in particular the terms of access to public transmission 
and distribution networks and the procedures for the establishment of contracts; the procedures 
for the collection and distribution of fines; the da ta provided by the operators in the subsector; 
the powers of sworn agents of the electricit y subsector; and standards applicable to the 
preparation of investments in activities relating to electricity. 
4.98.  The selling price for electricity is determined in an order issued by the Minister responsible 
for energy; the scale applied dates from 8 February 2006 (Table 4.4).
131 Entities generating their 
own power are required to sell at fixed prices. 
Table 4.4 Electricity rate s since February 2006 
(In CFAF) 
Bangui and Mobaye First bracket Second bracket Third bracket 
Low voltage 
 Lighting 76.56/kW 82.70/kW 89.31/kW 
 Energy 64.80/kW 69.76/kW 75.35/kW 
 Mixed 75.53/kW 81.57/kW 88.10/kW 
Note: Public lighting is billed at CFAF 70/kW; the electricity rate is CFAF 161/kW in secondary centres. 
The medium voltage rate consists of a standing charge of CFAF 2,750/kW, plus a variable component (day, night, etc.) with a penalty for ov er-consumption of CFAF 26/kW. A special charge 
of CFAF 10/kW is invoiced and transferred by EN ERCA to the Autonomous Regulatory Agency for 
the Electricity Sector; a contribution of CFAF 2/kW is also levied by ENERCA. 
Source: Order No. 017/2006/MMEH/DIR CAB/DGE of 8 February 2006. 
                                                                 
130 Decree No. 10.095 of 18 March 2010 establishing the legal regime, the conditions of declaration for 
the issue authorizations to independ ent operators, self-supplying entities, independent electricity producers 
and the taxation procedures. 
131 Order No. 017/2006/MMEH/DIRCAB/ DGE of 8 February 2006. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 356 - 
 
  4.99.  The authorities have indicated that several projects have been under way since 2011 with 
the assistance of foreign partners132: 
 a project for the transfer of water from the Oubangui River to Lake Chad, whose energy 
component as pertains to Palambo and the Kotto River is very important for the CAR; 
the Central African Republic has expressed many reservations about the impact of the 
proposal, which involves taking water from the Kotto River and transferring it to Lake Chad. The Kotto and the Ouaka flow into the Oubangui River, which is 
an international waterway shared by three countries, namely the Republic of the Congo, 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. Transferring the waters of the Oubangui by canals would mean a loss of flow at its crest line. The plan is to divert and transfer water from the Kotto and Ouaka. The draft feasibility study has 
been validated and there have been calls for an environmental study of the project 
and all its potential social and economic impacts on the areas watered downstream by the Oubangui once the transfer has begun; 
 the "Boali 3" project to build a new line to Boali and Bangui, signed in July 2011 with 
the Chinese company Shengli Oilfield Engineering; 
 African Development Bank (ADB) project to develop the Boali electric power system 
and interconnect the power grids of the CAR and the DRC; 
 Emergency project in response to the energy crisis (PURCE). Some 45,000 energy 
saving lamps have been distributed to about 19,500 households. An invitation for tenders has been issued for the supply of roughly 5,000 prepayment meters; 100 km of 
low voltage network and 70 km of MV/LV network have been rehabilitated, 15 MV/LV 
transformer stations have been rehabilitated and equipped; 
 continuation of the intensive peri-urban electrification project: Construction of 1.7 km 
of medium voltage network (MV), 12 km of low voltage network (LV), the installation 
of four 100 kVA transformers, installation of 400 connections out of a total customer base of 780 households in the Boeing pilot zone; works and supplies contracts signed 
on 15 December 2011 for the construction of 15 km of MV network, 80 km 
of LV network, the installation of 24,100 k VA transformers and 10 160 kVA transformers 
for connecting an expected total of 9,000 customers; 
 in the realm of renewable energy, a memorandum of understanding was signed 
in August 2011 with the French company Helios énergie to develop, build and 
operate 20 MW solar photovoltaic power stations to supply electricity to the towns of Berberati, Carnot, Bouar, Bossangoa, and Bambari; and 
 a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Czech company PK Horisia 
in December 2011 for the solar photovoltaic electrification of the town of Bossangoa. 
4.3  Manufacturing sector 
4.100.  The difficulties facing the Central African Republic's manufacturing sector are immense, the 
main ones being lack of funding, untimely po wer cuts, the poor state of roads and transport 
equipment, the tax burden, and police harassment due to incessant stopping of vehicles carrying 
materials and other inputs, to say nothing of the lack of qualified workers, which is hitting building 
and public works sector particularly hard. Despit e these drawbacks, there is a fabric of small 
and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), especially craft micro-enterprises, frequently operating 
in the informal sector. Larger SMEs have access to Government support, more specifically under 
the Investment Charter (reduced customs duties and VAT on inputs, export incentives). In 2012 
the Government was seeking external assistance for setting up a funding structure for SMEs that would enable them to develop their activities an d assist them in the process of participating 
the various bidding exercises. Such a structure could also provide support in the preparation 
of financial dossiers. 
                                                                 
132 Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (2012). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 357 - 
 
  4.101.  On the other hand, a company that manages to set up will be sure to enjoy dominant 
market position, protected from outside competition by the difficulties of obtaining supplies and by 
customs duties under the CEMAC CET. Although th e latter does not encourage investment in the 
manufacturing sector owing to the relatively high level of tariff protection granted to semi-finished 
inputs, the privileges under the Investment Charter or investment agreements negotiated with the 
Government allow companies not to pay customs duties on their inputs and to pay significantly lower domestic taxes. 
4.102.  Mention may be made of agri-food enterprises and wood processing companies (see 
above), aluminium sheet manufacturing entities, (ALUBA, COLALU), a range of chemicals (SOCAGI, CENTRAJEL, SOCAP), construction materi als (SOFAMAC), as well as garment workshops 
and other small-scale activities. The CCIMA Business Formalities Centre endeavours to 
provide support. 
4.103.  Cement is imported from the CEMAC area as well as from third countries and its price is 
often described as exorbitant. Yet cement is considered as a basic commodity and as such is 
subject to approval. The approved price of cement in Bangui in March 2013 was CFAF 9,500 
per 50 kg bag. Cement imports have been duty-free since 2008. A cement company (SOCACIM) has been under construction since 2009 in Nzila under a partnership between the Government and 
Indian investors and with the help of a US$30 million loan from the Indian Government. Production 
start-up has been delayed repeatedly, however, but is foreseen for 2013. 
4.104.  Imports of medicines are regulated by a 1994 decree that prescribes documentary control 
to be carried out by the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority before allowing access to the 
domestic market.
133 Law No 99.001 of 13 January 1999 lays out the conditions for the creation, 
operation and perpetuation of a fund designed to ensure supplies of medicines. Since 2004, a Unit 
for the sale of medicines has formed part of the medicine market as a technical body for managing 
the National Medicines Fund.134 In March 2013, market players included a Chinese 
company, ASPHARCA, which produces solid solutes,  and an Indian generics plant, ROFFE PHARMA, 
which began operations in July 2012. 
4.105.  The import, marketing and use of telecommunications equipment including satellite 
terminals are regulated. All equipment intended for connection to a public telecommunications must be approved by the ART (see below, teleco mmunications services). Costs are determined by 
means of an order
135 and are currently subject to a 10% customs duty (common 
report, Chapter 3.2) 
4.4  Services 4.106.  On the whole, information regarding the regulation of services is sparse and that 
regulation is extremely outdated except as pertains to the telecommunications sector and lawyers' 
services, both of which are governed by new laws . Several sectors (banking, insurance, transport) 
are partly regulated at the Community level, but there is no indication that the Community 
provisions have been transposed into domestic law. The CAR made specific WTO GATS 
commitments regarding tourism in 1994.
136 
4.107.  Under Ordinance No. 83.083 of 10 December 1983 regulating the trade and provision of services in the CAR, the supply of any servic e (educational, telecommunications, financial, 
transport, legal, tourism, medical, environmenta l, architectural, energy-related, cultural and 
sporting, as well as accounting) is subject to prior approval signed by the Minister responsible for trade.
137 A total of 315 approvals were issued in 2009, 389 in 2010, and 290 in 2011. In reality, 
it would seem that most services in the realms of healthcare, the hotel industry, catering, road 
transport and postal dispatches are being provided outside of any legal framework. 
                                                                 
133 Decree No. 94.196 of 4 June 1994 regulating the entry of pharmaceuticals into the CAR and its 
implementing Order No. 005 of 7 January 1995. 
134 Ordinance No. 04.013 of 5 August 2004. 
135 Order No. 488/MPTNT/DIRCAB/DGART of 17 November 2008 setting the taxes, fees and schedule of 
rates and charges for the establishment and/or operat ion of telecommunications networks and services 
applicable throughout the national territory. 
136 WTO document GATS/SC/17 of 30 August 1995. 
137 Ouefio, D. (2008). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 358 - 
 
  4.4.1  Transport services 
4.108.  The CAR faces enormous transportation problems. The absence or the deplorable state of 
road infrastructure is pushing up both transport and product costs. The inadequacy of transport (infrastructure and services) prevents agricultural output from reaching storage or processing 
facilities on time and at least one third of the food produced locally is thought to be lost. 
Economically viable primary deposits of gold and oil remain unexploited. The areas of transport and public works are therefore critical to openin g up the country both internally and externally, 
improving the movement of people, goods an d services, and to overcoming poverty. 
4.109.  The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviati on is the authority responsible for the sector. 
It apparently has no website. The transport sector is regulated both at the Community level (common report, Chapter 4.5) and at the national level. The authorities have said that significant 
economic spin-offs are to be expected from the im plementation of the Consensual Master Plan for 
Transport in Central Africa (PDCT-AC), given the CA R's geostrategic location at the crossroads of 
transcontinental trade flows. This programme was adopted in June 2007 in Libreville and 
encompasses 55 projects. Among the six projects that concern the CAR are four road-asphalting 
projects (629 km), a programme for the rehabilitation and/or renewal of water transport equipment and the improvement of the Bangui and Sa ngha rivers, and a project for the building of 
the Bangui-Zongo bridge on the Oubangui. Four ca rgo barges have been converted into passenger 
barges under this programme and two oil barges are being delivered. 
4.4.1.1  Air transport 4.110.  Since 2006 the Ministry of transport and civil aviation has been working to bring the 
Bangui M'poko international airport into line with international standards. This airport receives the 
bulk of the air traffic, but there are also 40 aerodromes throughout the country in various states of operation. Broadly speaking, air transport in the Central African Republic is confronting problems 
of safety and security, with the result that the supply and quality of service are rather mediocre. 
For example, for the four years from 2009 to 2012, air transport traffic has been just about 100,000 passengers per year and a maximum of 5,000 tonnes of cargo per year. 
Since 2007, however, several new air transport companies have been operating in the country, 
which perhaps suggests that rates could start coming down and that quality could improve. 
Chart 4.3 Air transport
a, 2003-2011 
020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000
05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,000
2003
2004
20052006
2007
20082009
2010
2011Aviation movements
Freight (in tonnes)
Passengers  (thousands),  right hand scale
 
a  In both directions (a rrivals and departures). 
Source: ASECNA 
4.111.  The provision of domestic air transport services is regulated by Law No. 65.063 
of 29 July 1965, which in principle prohibits cabotage by foreign companies. Under Article 10 
of Decree No. 09.036 of 23 June 2009, foreign transport companies may only provide commercial services in the CAR if they are authorized to do so and designated by their countries of origin and WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 359 - 
 
  approved by the aviation authorities of the Central African Republic.138 The Community regulations 
(CEMAC, Yamoussoukro Declaration) are described in the common report, but there are no corresponding implementing texts. 
4.112.  The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and Meteorology (DGACM) is responsible for 
managing airports. It lacks the requisite technical expertise, it is not financially independent and is 
entirely dependent on the Government and the resources it provides, and this constitutes a major drawback to the supervision of air transport safety.
139 Airport Services are managed by 
the ASECNA (common report, Chapter 4.3), which oversees air transport operators and is 
responsible for air transport safety. Besides, no  regulations are in place regarding aircraft 
maintenance or the approval of aircraft maintenanc e companies, even though this is envisaged in 
the CEMAC Code. 
4.113.  Yet the market seems to be showing some  dynamism. In addition to the international 
company Air France, new companies operating since 2006 include Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, TAAG and Karinou. Three small ai rlines were also approved by the Ministry 
of Transport in 2007 to operate domestic flights,  namely Minair, l'Apara and Via air. In 2011, 
the Aviation Handling Services company was approved under the 2001 Investment Charter (see Chapter 2), with an investment programme of CFAF 490 million (€747,000) for a period 
of five years. 
4.4.1.2  Road transport 4.114.  According to the authorities, the main reforms undertaken in the sector since 2007 have 
been in connection with the revision of the Highway Code. The road network consists 
of some 9,300 km of classified roads (albeit impassable during some seasons of the year, 
see below) and 700 km of sealed roads (corresponding to 7% of sealed roads). The road from Bangui to Douala (Cameroon) on which the bulk of  the CAR's imports and exports are transported, 
covers a distance of 1,500 km, of which only 392 km are sealed. Poor road safety, red tape and 
banditry are still the three major concerns. Recent efforts have included: 
 identifying the points of highest road safety risk along the country's priority roads; 
 reviving the national commission on the suspension and withdrawal of driving licences; 
 completion of the study into the preparation of a road safety action plan in the CAR, 
together with a World Bank-funded investment plan; 
 preparation of a draft law creating the National Road Safety Agency in the CAR; 
 the introduction of protected school crossings along the sealed roads in the city 
of Bangui; 
 supplying road safety equipment to the Ministry responsible for transport, with 
World Bank funding; and 
 supporting Central African transporters in purchasing new trucks. 
4.115.  According to the World Bank, transporting a 20 tonne container from Douala to Bangui 
could take between 15 and 28 days during the rainy season. In July 2012, the World Bank 
approved US$125 million in funding which should make for speeding up the repairs to the roads between Douala and Bangui in the CAR, thereb y guaranteeing access to roads linking the two 
cities irrespective of the season. The project will also finance road safety activities and the 
facilitation of goods transport. This should make the country more attractive to trade 
and investment. 
                                                                 
138 Decree No. 09.036 of 23 January 2009 regulating commercial air transport in the CAR. 
139 International Civil Aviation Organization (2013). WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 360 - 
 
  4.116.  The PDCT-AC Plan (see above) concerns highway No. 13 which runs from Enyellé 
(Republic of the Congo) to Mongoumba (CAR), th en to Mbaiki and Bangui; and from Bossembélé 
to Bossangoa (RCA), then to Bédaoyo,  and from Békai to Mbaikoro (Chad). 
4.117.  Some road transport companies have been approved under the Investment Charter 
of 2001, which allows for reductions in import duties and taxes on inputs. In September 2012, 
however, many transport companies complained of "VAT adjustments" and other charges being 
levied at customs, in particular by the SODIF (Chapter 3.2). 
4.118.  The Central African Road Charter Bureau (BARC) has a monopoly of international 
road transport and also manages the road terminal in Bangui based on a 1990 law140 
and on 2003 Community regulations (common report, Chapter 4.3).141 Under this system, road 
traffic between Bangui and Douala is reserved to Central African and Cameroonian transporters. 
Load sharing between these countries is administered by the BARC and the Cameroon Land Freight 
Management Bureau (BGFT) as follows: 60% for transporters using CAR-registered vehicles and 40% for transporters using vehicles registered in Cameroon.
142 In principle, a Permanent 
Mixed Technical Commission on Transport monitors relations between the two countries in respect 
of transport. In practice, however, the authoritie s indicate that the share of transporters from 
the CAR is well below 40% (it was around 20% in 2005 according to BARC statistics), owing to the 
poor condition of the CAR-registered fleet of vehicles. 
4.119.  The management bureaux levy a 4% commission on the pre-tax costs of transport services 
provided, with a minimum flat rate. When the BARC itself charters, an additional 2% commission is levied. These amounts are in addition to those corre sponding to the electronic cargo tracking note. 
4.120.  The international road transport of goods is subject to floor prices determined by 
regulations
143 that are systematically updated according to the trend in fuel prices. 
4.4.1.3  River transport 
4.121.  The CAR has three river ports, namely Bangui (upstream port and Kolongo oil port) and 
Salo. The Oubangui River is the country's main waterway. Downstream traffic covers 1,200 km in six to seven days (Bangui-Brazzaville) and upstream traffic in seven to 12 days 
(Brazzaville-Bangui). Goods are then transporte d to Pointe Noire in the Congo via the Congo 
Ocean railways or to Kinshasa (in the DRC). The river is used to export wood and live cattle and to import petroleum products when the season is favourable. The Oubangui river flow varies considerably, from less than 1,000 m³/s on average in March in Bangui (which limits navigability) 
to 8,000 m³/s in October. 
4.122.  Until 2004 the Société centrafricaine des tr ansports fluviaux (SOCATRAF) had been a joint 
venture between the State as the majority shareholder (51%) and the Groupe Bolloré with a 49% 
stake. In January 2005, the State reduced its hold ing to 15%, and the Groupe Bolloré took over 
the remaining SOCATRAF stake, bringing its share 51%, whilst domestic investors accounted for 34%. The SOCATRAF is also partly funded by  the French Development Agency (AFD). The AFD 
and the EU are involved in the river transport subsector through their support for the 
implementation of the project to renew productive river transport equipment. 
4.123.  The Service commun d'entretien des voies navigables (SCEVN) is a company jointly owned 
by the CAR and the Republic of the Congo and is  responsible for maintaining all the navigable 
waterways in the Congo-Bangui-Sangha Basi n, which cover a distance of 2,700 km. 
The International Commission for the Congo-Bangui-Sangha Basin (CICOS) is currently engaged in several projects (common report, Chapter 4).
144 
4.124.  The regulatory framework for river transp ort includes the CEMAC/DRC Internal Navigation 
Code (1999) and various memorandums of underst anding with the DRC and the Republic of the 
                                                                 
140 Decree No. 90.043 of 12 February 1990. 
141 CEMAC Regulation No. 15/03-UEAC-612-CM-11, implemented in the CAR through Interministerial 
Order No. 032/04/MET/MEPEFBCI/CAB of 23 June 2004. 
142 Convention of 22 December 1999 on land transport of goods between Cameroon and the CAR. 
143 Interministerial Order No. 025/MFB/METAC/MCIPME of 4 July 2006. 
144 CICOS online information. Viewed at: http ://www.cicos.info/site web/index.php?id=135. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 361 - 
 
  Congo (common report, Chapter 4.3); Decree No. 12.113 of 5 June 2012 organizing the river and 
maritime professions and auxiliary transport pr ofessions; and Decree No. 09.184 of 19 June 2009, 
organizing water transport in the CAR and its subsequent texts. There is no law governing subsectors such as maintenance, cabotage and piloting. 
4.4.2  Telecommunications services 
4.125.  The telecommunications subsector comprises the traditional operator, the Société 
centrafricaine des télécommunications (SOCATEL), which provides fixed and Internet 
telecommunications services. Teledensity is rather low (three lines per 1,000 inhabitants), which is 
a reflection of the poor state of SOCATEL infrastruc ture and the difficulty of accessing electricity. 
The new law enacted in 2007 maintains the SOCA TEL monopoly on the provision of basic 
telecommunications services (fixed telephony and telex services). The State acquired 
the 40% share held by France Cables et Radio in 2007, and SOCATEL became fully 
Government-owned in 2012. The Government has not yet expressed a desire to privatize SOCATEL, but has announced the start of  talks with the World Bank with a view to 
restructuring SOCATEL, which is facing financial difficulties in part stemming from its claims on the 
Central African Government. A sizeable portion of the company's staff has been laid off owing to the difficulty of paying their salaries. 
4.126.  On the other hand, the number of mobile  telephone subscribers has grown exponentially, 
surpassing 1 million in 2010 (common report, Table 4.5). There are four mobile telephone companies in the market, namely Orange, whose GSM licence dates from 2007 and its subsidiary Telsoft (which since 2008 has been providing the country's only international gateway); Telecel, 
whose licence dates from 1996;); Azur Centrafrique (or Nationlink, licensed since 2004); 
and MOOV, (formerly A-CELL), which began operations in 2005 (Table 4.5). In 2012, all these companies were enjoying privileges under the Inve stment Charter (Chapter 2), mainly in the form 
of exemptions from direct and indirect taxes. 
Table 4.5 Mobile telephony indicators, 2012 
Mobile phone companies Market share (CFAF) Number of subscribers 
TELECEL 54% 958,193 
MOOV 16% 298,927 
NATION LINK 16% 277,360 
ORANGE 14% 252,206 
TOTAL 100% 1,786,686 
Source: Central African authorities 
4.127.  The CAR has undertaken no specific GATS commitments regarding telecommunications. 
In the CEMAC framework, the CAR are has made specific (Community) commitments towards the 
other members in the field of telecommunications. 
4.128.  In 2007, the CAR reformed the regulations governing its telecommunications services, 
inter alia,  by means of two new laws which nevertheless do not provide for terminating 
the SOCATEL monopoly: 
 Law No. 07.020 of 28 December 2007 regulating telecommunications in the CAR; 
 Decree No. 09.209 of 17 July 2009, establishing its implementation procedures; 
 Law No. 07.021 of 28 December 2007 setting the taxes and fees related to the 
establishment and/or operation of telecommunications networks throughout the national territory; and 
 Order No. 489/MPTNT/DIRCAB/DGART of 17 November 2008 setting the general 
conditions for the establishment and operation of public telecommunications networks, 
and specifically stipulating that rates should be cost-oriented. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 362 - 
 
  4.129.  A draft law now being re-read by the General Secretariat of the Government takes account 
of CEMAC and ECCAS provisions on telecommunications. The Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART), operational since 2004, manages frequencies, grants licences and levies fees and other charges for various telecommunications services (Table 4.6). It acts as an arbitrator for 
interconnections, for which the agreements are negotiated among operators; the ART intervenes 
only in cases of anti-competitive practices.
145 The ART in principle has a website on which laws, 
decrees, orders and decisions are posted.146 The Agency issues authorizations. 
4.130.  Telecommunications services are subject to a system of licensing or authorization, 
except for some services (mainly private) subject to a system of simple declaration. The Ministry of Telecommunications and New Information Technologies formulates the sectoral telecommunications policy, in particular with respect to privatization and opening up to new 
providers. The Ministry awards provider licenses  by means of an Order. The ART allocates radio 
frequency bands.
147 
Table 4.6 Costs of telecommunications licenses, 2012 
Type of network and services Licence cost 
(CFAF million)  Validity Number of 
active 
licences 
(2012) Operators 
Fixed and internet 3,500 30 years 1 SOCATEL 
Global: mobile, internet and image 6,000 25 years 3 ORANGE/TELSOFT
MOOV, TELECEL, 
AZUR 
Fixed + global 10,000 30 years 1 SOCATEL 
Fixed + internet + international gateway   
Global + international gateway 10,000 30 years 1 ORANGE/TELSOFT 
Fixed + world + international 12,500 30 years   
Telephone /rural internet (nationals only) 0.25 5 years .. .. 
Carrier networks :     
Sole international gateway 1,500 15 years 1 TELSOFT 
National fibre optic backbone 1,500 99 years 0  
.. Not available. 
Source: Law No. 07.024 setting the taxes and fees related to the establishment and/or operation 
of telecommunications networks th roughout the national territory. 
4.131.  Since 2004 the distribution of revenues from local, interurban and international 
communications has been determined by the State, which taxes incoming international traffic 
in the CAR. Since 2010, the pre-tax fees have been as follows148: if the operator has 
an international gateway, CFAF 80 per minute are payable to the local operator that terminates the traffic and CFAF 40 to the Government; if the operator passes through the "sole" international 
gateway, only CFAF 40 are payable to the Government; the company that manages the sole 
international gateway and the operators negotiate the allocation of their revenues with the arbitration of the ART, which validates it. 
4.132.  Because the ART lacked the technical means of measuring incoming traffic and therefore 
had to rely on declarations made by operators, in 2009 the Government entrusted 
                                                                 
145 Order No. 520/MPTNT/CAB/DGART/DT of 23 September 2004 as amended by 
Order No. 013/MPTNT/10 amending certain provisions of Order No. 034/MPTNT/09 of 3 December 2009 establishing a centre to combat fraud and monitor and oversee incoming international traffic in CAR. 
146 Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (2013). 
147 Law No 07-020 of 28 December 2007. 
148 Order No. 013/MPTNT/10 amending certain provisions of Order No. 034/MPTNT/09 
of 3 December 2009 establishing a centre to combat fraud and monitor and oversee incoming international traffic in CAR. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 363 - 
 
  Global Voice Group (United States) with the monitori ng and oversight of international traffic, under 
the control of the Ministry in collaboration with the ART. 
4.133.  Between local communications operators, the distribution tax is CFAF 70 (pre-tax) 
per minute, distributed equally between the operator that originates the communication 
and the operator that terminates it. The share of  traffic to be transferred to the traditional 
operator that carries the traffic is CFAF 25 per minute. Between the traditional operator and private operators, the tax is CFAF 40, which is split equally. For interurban communications, 
the mobile phone operator pays the traditional operator CFAF 157 per minute. 
Conversely, the traditional operator transfers CFAF 20 per minute to the mobile phone operator . 
4.134.  Internet access is subject to an ART lic ense, and is possible only in certain cities 
(Bangui, Berberati, Bambari, Mbaïki, and Bossangoa  where there are some operational difficulties). 
Lines leased to private parties are provided by sa tellite (VSAT). The setting up charges range from 
CFAF 500,000 to CFAF 1,500,000, depending on the range; the duration is five years. The monthly costs payable depend on the capacity of the connection (which ranges from less than 2 Mb/s 
to over 70 Mb/s).
149 
4.135.  Some 55% of the country is thought to  be covered by telecommunications services 
at present. Law No 07.20 envisages the creation of a universal service access fund. Contributions 
to this fund would come from all public network operators as well as public service providers 
and calculated in proportion to turnover. The application procedures and texts on the implementation of this fund are not yet in force, and as of March 2013 there were no obligations with respect to the universal service. 
4.4.3  Postal services 
4.136.  In reality, the regulations governing th e postal services are not being observed and 
informal activities are flourishing. By law, the Office national des postes et de l'épargne (ONPE) is 
responsible for managing postal services.
150 The ONPE may transfer part of the postal service 
monopoly it holds by law to private operators established in the Central African Republic.151 
Accordingly, the ONPE concluded an authoriz ation agreement in 1998 with the DHL company 
allowing it to provide express courier services152; the ONPE also provides an express courier 
service through its subsidiary EMS. 
4.4.4  Financial services 4.137.  The CAR's financial sector is small (Table 1.1) and largely concentrated amongst 
four commercial banks, which represent 93% of the consolidated assets in the financial system. 
Amongst the other financial institutions are two insurance companies (4% of assets), and in 11 microfinance establishments (3% of assets). 
4.4.4.1  Banking services 
4.138.  Banking activities in the CAR are subject to the common CEMAC banking regulations 
(common report, Chapter 4.3), as well as to national regulations. The conditions of establishment 
are the same for national and foreign banks, and the market is largely dominated by the latter. 
The banking subsector in the CAR consists of four approved commercial banks: 
 the Commercial Bank Centrafrique (CBCA-groupe Fotso) is the country's leading bank, 
accounting for almost half the market's total turnover. It has two branches, one in 
Bangui and another in Bouar. The bank's capital is 54%-owned by private Cameroonian 
interests and 46.7%-owned by private interests in the Central African Republic. The State is a CBCA shareholder (10% of equity); 
 The Banque populaire maroco-centrafricaine (BPMC) ranks second with a market share 
of 28%. It has two outlets in Bangui. Two-thirds of its shares are held by Moroccan 
                                                                 
149 Order No. 488/MPTNT/DIRCAB/DGART of 17 November 2008. 
150 Law No. 94.012 of 22 November 1994. 
151 Interministerial Order No. 001/MPT/SG/98 of 2 March 1998. 
152 Order No. 010/MPT/CAB/CMP/ICP/DGONPE/98 of 20 November 1998. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 364 - 
 
  investors and the rest by private interests in the Central African Republic. The State is 
also a BPMC shareholder; 
 the Banque internationale pour la Centrafrique (BICA-groupe Fortis), recently taken over 
by ECOBANK, occupies third place, contro lling 24% of the market with two outlets 
in Berberati and Bangui. Half the BICA equity is held by Belgian interests and the other 
half by private Central African interests; 
 the Banque Sahelo-saharienne pour l'investissement et le commerce en Centrafrique 
(BSIC), which began operations in December 2007, belongs to the Tripoli-based BSIC 
Group). It has three outlets in Bangui. 
4.139.  The four private banks now comply with the regional capital requirement, which is set 
at CFAF 5 billion. The International Monetary F und (IMF) has described the CAR's banking system 
as vulnerable, partly because of the accumula ted arrears owed by the State (Chapter 1). 
According to the authorities, the restructuring of  one troubled bank is ongoing. The Government 
has temporarily recapitalized it by issuing treasury bonds worth CFAF 5.5 billion in order to dilute 
the equity share of the former majority shareh older, and has increased its own stake from 10% 
to 51%. Local shareholders have also increased their holdings by CFAF 500 million. According to the IMF, the State's withdrawal from this bank  has been delayed, as the authorities have 
announced the failure of competitive bidding organized to select a strategic investor, despite the 
interest expressed by an international banking group. 
4.140.  The PRSP II has recommended a national strategy for the promotion of microfinancing 
in order to support very small enterprises and SMEs. There were three approved microfinance 
establishments in March 2013, namely the Crédit mutuel Centrafrique (CMCA), supported by 
the Credit mutuel de France
153, the new Caisse mutuelle des cifadiennes de Centrafrique154, which 
had just been approved, and the Union centrafricaine des caisses d'épargne et de crédit (UCACEC), 
which is experiencing serious problems of governance. There are hardly any microfinance 
institutions in the hinterland owing to the insecu rity prevailing there. It has not been possible 
to obtain information as to the volume of activity of these institutions and of banks in general. 
4.4.4.2  Insurance services 
4.141.  This CAR is a signatory to the CIMA (Inter-African Conference on Insurance Markets) 
Treaty (see common report, Chapter 4.3). The Central African insurance market is small and has been stagnating for many years now. Motor vehicle insurance premiums account for 50% of 
insurers' portfolios. Two companies share the market, namely, the Agence générale française 
(AGF-Allianz, roughly 64.5% of the market), formerly UCAR, and the l'Union des assureurs centrafricains (UAC, 31.5% of the market), cu rrently owned by the Senegalese SUNU group. 
Two brokerage firms are also present on the market: ASCOMA, (formerly ACC), a subsidiary 
of ACC Cameroon, and SOCCARREAS. This information could not be confirmed. 
4.142.  Insurance is compulsory for automobiles and for construction sites; the premiums are set 
by the operators, with a floor fixed by the Minist er responsible for finance. The market as a whole 
is worth some CFAF 1.7 billion (€2.6 million). 
4.4.5  Professional and business services 4.143.  Very little information is available regarding market access by foreign nationals to the 
professional services in the CAR. Some texts open the market to all professionals who are CEMAC 
nationals (for example, accountancy, see Table 4. 7 and common report). In many cases, access to 
the market for foreign professionals is subject to a reciprocity clause, but it has not been possible 
to ascertain the countries with which the CAR has concluded a reciprocity agreement. 
                                                                 
153 Online information. Viewed at: 
http://cicm.creditmutuel.com/fr/site/action-pays/centrafrique/activite.html. 
154 Online information. Viewed at: 
http://www.lamicrofinance.org/resource_c enters/centrafrique/principaux_acteurs. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 365 - 
 
  Table 4.7 Regulated professions in  the Central African Republic 
Sector (number of 
professionals or 
enterprises) Law (national association) Market access 
Taxation services (5) Act No. 4/CACEU-133 
of 17 November 1970 on the Regulations governing the profession of accountant Access to the market is subject to two technical 
approvals (CEMAC approval and that of the 
country's Minister of Finance) and the approval issued by the single window for formalities 
regarding the practi ce of activities 
Accountants and 
chartered 
accountants (30) Act No. 4/UDEAC ‐133 
(common report). 
Law No. 02.002 
of 15 January 2002 establishing 
the National Association of 
Chartered Accountants Recognized chartered accountant's diploma, 
CEMAC approval, registration with the 
Association of Chartered Accountants. 
Except where a reciprocal agreement exists, 
non-CEMAC nationals may not practice as 
chartered accountants in the CAR, nor set up 
an accounting firm betw een themselves. If they 
are residents, they may, however, be employed 
to an accounting firm ; and set up a company 
with African partners if  the latter represent a 
two-thirds majority in number and in capital 
Chemical, mechanical or 
electrical engineers No national legislation in this 
regard Access to the market is subject to approval 
issued by the single window pursuant to Order No. 83.083, regulating trade and the 
provision of services. No limitation 
Notaries (10) Association of Notaries 
Chamber of notaries of the Central 
African Republic .. 
Lawyers (20 law firms) Law on the status of the lawyer's 
profession in the CAR, 25 May 2010. An Order issued by the Minister of Justice suspended the opening of new law firms No market access limitation 
Bailiffs .. Central African nationality required  
Medical services, 
Pharmacists, Dental surgeons (600 doctors, 16 dentists, 27 pharmacists, about 3,300 nurses) Law No. 89.003 of 23 March 1989 
liberalizing the health sector; Ordinance No. 80.84 of 28 October 1980 establishing the National Association of Doctors, Dentists and Pharmacists (and Decree No. 82.299 of 30 June 1982); Ordinance No. 82.027 of 30 June 1982 concerning the exercise of the profession of doctor, dentist and pharmacist and its implementing Orders No. 017 and No. 018 of 28 May 1983 Be registered with the National Association or 
be a citizen of a country that has signed a 
reciprocity agreement with the CAR; academic 
equivalence is necessary  
.. Not available. 
Source: Central African Legislation. 
4.144.  The lawyer's profession is governed by a new law dated 25 May 2010 on the status 
of the lawyer's profession in the CAR. The law creates a bar at each Court of Appeal in order 
to encourage lawyers to open practices in the hinterland so that the justice system can 
be more accessible to all citizens; it introduces a National Council of Bars, stipulates that the Certificat d'aptitude à la profession d'avocat (a postgraduate legal qualification needed to practice as a solicitor or barrister) must be awarded by a professional centre for the training 
of Central African lawyers, the organization and functioning of which are laid down by decree, 
though that decree has not yet been made public. Article 111 prescribes that a lawyer who is elected to the office of President of the CAR or appointed to the post of Minister or to any other 
government position is removed from the roster fo r the duration of the term of office. That law 
does not limit market access or national treatment for foreign nationals. Opening a lawyer's office requires, in addition to the technical approval of th e Ministry of Justice, an approval issued by the 
single information point for business formalities. Under an old Order issued by the 
Ministry of Justice, the opening of new law firms is still suspended. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 366 - 
 
  4.4.6  Tourism 
4.145.  The CAR has enormous tourism potential (equatorial forest, fauna and flora, indigenous 
cultures), and wildlife tourism had been significant before the military and political upheavals occurring in the country since 1996.
155 Harassment and annoyances of all kinds have considerably 
limited tourism outside the framework of acti vities authorized and supervised by the 
Ministry of Tourism. This accounts for the drop in arrivals (by air in Bangui's classified hotels) from 13,881 in 1995 to 8,156 in 2004, a figure that then started rising steadily again to 
reach 25,759 in 2011, amounting to a total number of overnight stays of 48,501 or an average 
stay of 1.88 days. 
4.146.  Decree No. 01.242 of 14 September 2001 governs the exercise of tourism 
activities. It makes those activities subject to auth orization by the Minister responsible for tourism. 
Travel agencies are governed by Order No. 020 of 2 August 2002, restaurants 
by Order No. 012 of 19 June 2002, tourist guides by Order No. 013 of 19 June 2002, and accommodation facilities by Order No. 018 of 20 December 2002. 
Decree No. 10.348 of30 December 2010 accords fiscal and customs advantages for 
tourism activities. 
4.147.  The authorization required to set up an enterprise is free of cost; at the operational stage, 
travel agencies must obtain a license (for a fee of CFAF 500,000, or the equivalent of €762), 
and approval is required for other activities (f or a fee ranging from CFAF 100,000 for unclassified 
establishments to CFAF 2 million for classified establishments). 
4.148.  There were five travel agencies in the CAR in 2012. They are all privately-owned and set 
up either by Central African or foreign nationals. There is a new five-star hotel in Bangui, 
the Hotel Ledger Plaza, owned by the Liby an State and inaugurated in 2012. The other 
accommodation facilities are owned by private interests and the State, and include nine hotels 
and 11 aparthotels in Bangui and two in the provinces, as well as a network of quasi-hotel 
and traditional accommodation facilities. The average annual hotel occupancy rate has increased from 49% in 2006 to 60% in 2009 and 2011 (62% in 2010). 
4.149.  Hotels are classified by an inter-ministerial committee under the auspices of the Ministry 
responsible for tourism, in principle, according to CACEU standards. Classifications were suspended in March 2013 pending the introduction of nation al and CEMAC standards, in collaboration with 
the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), of which the CAR has been a member since 1995. 
4.150.  Tourist guides may only provide their serv ices as subcontractors of an approved agency.
156 
Travel agency personnel must be Central African nationals.157 There are no specific restrictions 
on investment in tourism establishments and rates are freely set by the operators. The CAR has 
made specific GATS commitments regarding tourism158; in particular as pertains to hotel 
and catering services as well as those of tour operators and tourist guides. 
                                                                 
155 Ministry of the Environment (2009). 
156 Order No. 013 of 19 June 2002. 
157 Order No. 020 of 2 August 2002. 
158 WTO document GATS/SC/17 of 30 August 1995. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 367 - 
 
  REFERENCES 
Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (2013). Online information. Viewed at: http://www.art-
rca.org. 
African Development Bank (2013). Viewed at: http://www.afdb.org/en/p rojects-and-operations . 
World Bank (2006), Doing Business 2007: How to reform. Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 
October, Washington D.C. Viewed at: http://www.doingbusiness. org/~/media/GIAWB/ 
Doing%20Business/Documents/Annual-Reports/English/DB07-FullReport.pdf. 
National consultative committee of the CAR (2003). Rapport national sur les ressources génétiques 
animales,  June, Bangui. Viewed at: http://www.fao .org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/genetics/ 
documents/Interlaken/countryreports/Central_African_Republic.pdf. 
FAO (2013), Profils des pêches et de l'aquaculture par pays, République centrafricaine . Rome. 
Viewed at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/ DOCUMENT/fcp/fr/FI_CP_CF.pdf. 
IMF (2012), Central African Republic: 2011 Article IV Consultations . Washington DC, IMF country 
report No. 12/238. Viewed at: http://www.imf. org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2012/cr12238.pdf. 
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (2011). National Agricultural Investment and Food 
Security Programme (PNIASA), September 2011-2015 . Bangui. 
Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (2012). Contributions à l'élaboration du bilan des actions 
engagées par le gouvernement . Bangui. 
Ministry of the Environment and Ecology (2009), Projet de rapport sur un cadre national de 
biosécurité de la RCA , April, Bangui. Viewed at: http://www.unep.org/biosafety/Documents/ 
Central_%20African%20_Republic_NBF.pdf. 
Ministry of Finance and Budget (2006), General Tax Code, 2006 edition. Bangui. 
Ministry of Finance and Budget (2008), General Tax Code, 2008 edition. Bangui. 
Ministry of Mines Energy and Water Resources (2010). Viewed at: http://www.mmeh-
rca.com/site_fr. 
Ministry of Rural Development (2007). Note à Monsieur le Ministre d'État: propositions de travail 
sur les mesures incitatives de relance du secteur agropastoral en RCA , October, Bangui. 
Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture (2011), Stratégie de développement rural, de 
l'agriculture et de la sécurité alimentaire (SDRASA), 2011-15 , April, Bangui. 
Ministry of Planning, Economy and International Cooperation (2007)  Table ronde des partenaires 
au développement de la RCA, Développements réce nts de la situation économique et financière, 
October, Brussels. 
Office de réglementation de la commercialisation et du contrôle du conditionnement des produits 
agricoles (2005), Rapport annuel d'activités , campagne 2004/2005.  
WTO (2011), Annual report 2011. Geneva. Viewed at: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/ 
booksp_e/anrep_e/anrep11_e.pdf.  
International Civil Aviation Organization (2013), Audit de la République centrafricaine . Viewed at: 
http://legacy.icao.int/fsix/AuditReps/execSumm/Central_African_Rep_en_exec.pdf. 
Ouefio, D. (2008), Audit réglementaire des services en RCA . Viewed at: http://www.ileap-
jeicp.org/downloads/douala_april_11/presentati ons/session-16_ouefio_audit-reglemengtaire-
rca.pdf. WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR 
- 368 - 
 
  Central African Republic (2005), Ministry of th e Economy, Finance, Planning and International 
Cooperation. Etude d'Impact des Accords de Partenariat Économique, Projet #083 Centrafrique et 
Rapport Intérimaire, Bangui. 
Central African Republic  (2007), Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) 2008-2010, Bangui. 
Viewed at: http://www.imf.org/extern al/pubs/ft/scr/2009/cr09240.pdf. 
Central African Republic (2010), Rapport d'étude sur la commercialisation du bois en RCA, 
October, Bangui. 
Central African Republic (2011), Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSPII) 2011-2015: Reducing 
extreme poverty , Bangui Viewed at: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/car/docs/pauvret per 
centC3 per centA9/rcafb_povertyredstrategy2011-2015_en.pdf. 
Central African Republic (undated), Rapport final du Comité technique permanent de suivi des 
programmes d'ajustement structurel – Actualisat ion de la méthodologie de recensement de 
l'élevage en RCA . [2003]. 
World Bank (2013), Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size 
Enterprises, Washington, DC: World Bank Group. DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-9615-5. License: 
Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0.  Viewed at: http://www. doingbusiness.org/~/ 
media/GIAWB/Doing%20Business/Documents/Annua l-Reports/English/DB13-full-report.pdf.