Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) scheme for least developed countries. The World Bank considers the country a low-income economy with a per-capita income of $ 480 in 2022. While overall EU imports from the Central African Republic amounted to about €47,6 million in 2022, no products imported to the EU currently make use of EBA preferences.

What is the EBA?

The “Everything but Arms”(EBA) scheme is a permanent arrangement covering Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) as classified by the United Nations. This arrangement enables duty-free and quota-free access for all products (7200 products in total) originating in LDC’s except for arms and ammunition. Different from the Standard GSP and GSP+, LDC’s are not excluded from the scheme if they benefit from other preferential arrangements.

Central African Republic flag
group

5,58 M

Population

account_balance
Presidential Republic

Government

trending_up

0.50%

GDP Growth

equalizer

3.20%

Inflation

money

$ 2,38 B

GDP

5 v

Freedomhouse index

5+ -

ITUC Global Rights Index

44.9 ^

Environmental Performance Index

Facts about the Central African Republic's economy

Resource Wealth

The Central African Republic is a landlocked economy in Central Africa, which possesses substantial mineral deposits and other resources including crude oil, gold, uranium reserves, diamonds, cobalt, lumber, and vast amounts of arable land.

Export Products

The most important export products of the Central African Republic are tropical woods, gold and non-industrial diamonds, cocoa paste, and raw cotton.

Trade Partners

The most important trading partners are the EU and China, which together account for a share of about 47% of total trade. The most important export markets are UAE, the EU and Cameroon. Imports mainly originate from the EU, China, and Cameroon.

Economic Structure

The agricultural sector contributes the largest share to the GDP and centres around the cultivation of coffee, cotton, cassava, corn, millet, rice, squash, and peanuts. The Central African Republic can benefit from large mineral resources. The manufacturing sector remains small.

Usage of EBA Preferences

To date less than 3% of overall imports from the Central African Republic are eligible for EBA preferences. Despite a high preference utilisation rate of 95% in 2017, the country did not make use of the preferences in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Trade with the EU

Total trade with the EU amounted to € 187 million in 2022. The EU is the most important trading partner for the Central African Republic and accrues a share of 24.4% of total trade. Almost 20% of the total exports go to the European market, making it the second export destination, after the UAE. Imports from the EU account for almost 25%, making the EU the largest import market.

Central African Republic and the EU (2022)

Imports from the Central African Republic by product section

Imports from the Central African Republic over time (in € m)

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND THE EU’s GSP

Economic Impact

2%

Only a small share of the Central African Republic's exports to the EU market are eligible for EBA preferences.

0%

The Central African Republic currently does not make use of preferences granted under the EU's EBA.

Preference utilisation and export diversification

Central African Republic's imports to the EU

Preference Utilisation vs. total eligible imports

The largest product sections under EBA

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The preferential access to the EU market granted by the EBA scheme is not bound to the ratification of international conventions. Nevertheless, the Central African Republic has a high level of ratification of international conventions. The country has ratified 14 out of 15 fundamental conventions on human rights and labour standards. Additionally, it has ratified 8 conventions on environmental protection and 4 conventions on good governance.

Core international conventions on human rights and labour standards

Ratified

  • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969)
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
  • International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (1976)
  • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1981)
  • Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987)
  • Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990)
  • Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, No 29 (1930)
  • Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, No 87 (1948)
  • Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively, No 98 (1949)
  • Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, No 100 (1951)
  • Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, No 105 (1957)
  • Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, No 111 (1958)
  • Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, No 138 (1973)
  • Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No 182 (1999)

Not Ratified

  • Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)

Additional Conventions

  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)
  • Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987)
  • Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
  • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)
  • Stockholm Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)
  • Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1998)
  • United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)
  • United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971)
  • United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988)
  • United Nations Convention against Corruption (2004)

EU-Central African Republic Bilateral Development Assistance

DG INTPA

Access all info about EU-Central African Republic relations on the International Partnerships website: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/central-african-republic_en

Opportunities in Central African Republic

  • Promising economic outlook with a stable predicted economic growth over the medium term due to improvements to the security situation
  • Ongoing expansion of the capacity of the country's hydropower plants which will enhance the country's electric capacity and will improve the water supply
  • Projects currently support the agricultural sector to increase productivity and develop new value chains
  • Ongoing modernisation of the Bangui airport to encourage cross-border trade

Contact points