Dear Supporter,

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a hijacked country at the heart of an intense power struggle between France and Russia, with corrupt officials, warlords, and their international partners competing for control of the state and the country’s resources. Starting today and over the course of this week, we’re going to bring you a series of products that will deepen your understanding of how a country can get to such a point, and how you can support change there. Since 2012, sectarian violence has killed thousands and forced more than a million Central Africans to flee their homes. Because CAR is overlooked on the international stage, this week The Sentry will shine a light on the forces at play and what those with influence can do about it. 

For a two-minute overview of the current situation in CAR, watch the video above.

Also, The Sentry’s latest briefing, “State of Prey: Proxies, Predators, and Profiteers in the Central African Republic,” details how high-level corruption and predatory foreign forces have turned CAR into a breeding ground for organized crime and terror financing. Money laundering and trafficking in gold, diamonds, drugs, weapons, and diplomatic passports have proliferated, and COVID-19 is being exploited for political gain. At the same time, the country’s armed conflict has evolved into a violent proxy war between pro-French and pro-Russian actors. With presidential elections just two months away, CAR is on the precipice of an even deeper crisis, with implications far beyond its borders.

So long as the driving forces behind the violence and corruption in CAR remain hidden in the shadows, nothing will change. In order to advance peace, The Sentry is committed to exposing the foreign interests fueling violence in CAR and to pushing the international community to take action.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

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The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People's Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about