Diplomatic tensions are rising between Paris and Bangui. On March 9, the Central African Ministry of Defense officially announced the arrest of a French national employed by the NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) . Arrested on March 3 near Zémio (in the southeast of the country), the man is at the center of serious accusations made by local authorities.

Accusations of subversion and illegal entry

According to Bangui, this employee is suspected of carrying out activities aimed at destabilizing internal security in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture. The official statement specifically mentions:

1. Contacts with "criminal elements".
2. An attempt to incite the Azande ethnic group to revolt against the government.
3. An illegal entry into the territory from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), without official documents.

For its part, the French Foreign Ministry downplays these accusations. Paris maintains that the aid worker was working in a refugee camp in the DRC and only traveled to Zémio on a one-off basis for strictly professional reasons.

An explosive regional context

The Zémio area is a security tinderbox. In early January, clashes erupted there between the Central African army (supported by Russian paramilitaries ) and the local Azandé Ani Kpi Gbè (AAKG) militia. The Central African government denounces "foreign interference" aimed at undermining public trust in Bangui and its Russian allies.

A diplomatic visit under high tension

This arrest comes at a critical time: the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot , is expected in Bangui this Thursday, March 12.

The stakes: This is the first visit by a French foreign minister to the Central African Republic in seven years. The trip aims to improve frosty relations, marked by Russia's growing influence in the region at France's expense.

The MSF employee is to be transferred to Bangui soon for further investigation. The French embassy confirmed it is in close contact with the Central African authorities to monitor his health and the progress of the case.