CFA Franc Zone

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The CFA Franc Zones:
  • CFA Franc BCEAO (Economic Union UEMOA )
  • CFA Franc BEAC (Economic Union CEMAC )
    • Satellite photo of Africa: Only small parts of the CFA zone are desert areas, the majority of the CFA zone is in the subtropical rainforest area of ​​Africa.

    The CFA franc zone is formed by the countries in which the Central African currency CFA franc BEAC or the West African currency CFA franc BCEAO is valid. ( CFA stands for: Francesco de la C ooperation F inancière en A frique ). Most of these countries are linked by their former membership of the Union française or Communauté française as well as the strong political and economic influence of France - among other things through the peg of the CFA franc to the franc or euro .

    Member countries

    Central African Currency XAF (BEAC)

    West African Currency XOF (BCEAO)

    former members

    history

    Colonial time until 1965

    From 1612 French trading posts were operated in Senegal . In 1677 a colony was founded. From 1840 onwards the conquest of West and Central Africa began. As a result, the conquered colonial area was administratively structured. In 1853, by decree of the French emperor, the Banque du Sénégal was founded, which also received the right to issue banknotes for French branches in Africa.

    In 1895, the French West Africa administrative area was established. This area also included the current BCEAO states of Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

    In 1901 the Banque du Sénégal was converted into the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale . In terms of currency, this institute was responsible for the colonial administrative areas of French West Africa and the (later) French Equatorial Africa .

    In 1910, the French Equatorial Africa administrative area was established. This area included the present-day BEAC states Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Chad and the Central African Republic.

    In 1917, the General Government for French Equatorial Africa issued 1 and 2 franc banknotes as emergency currency.

    In 1918 the former German colonies Togo and Cameroon were attached to the currency area of ​​the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale .

    In 1920, the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale was officially commissioned to issue special banknotes for French Equatorial Africa (previously one banknote for all areas). In the beginning, regular banknotes from the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale were simply "overprinted".

    French Equatorial Africa Currency until 1945: French Equatorial African Franc
    French West Africa Currency until 1945: French West African Franc

    In 1940 the General Government for French Equatorial Africa issued emergency money again.

    In 1941, the forces of Free France under Charles de Gaulle had currency notes printed in French Equatorial Africa for the colonies they controlled there. The Caisse Centrale de la France d'Outre-Mer was founded. The bulk of the entire armed forces of Free France at that time consisted of Tirailleurs sénégalais .

    Since 1945: CFA franc BEAC
    Since 1945: CFA franc BCEAO

    In 1945 the West African and Equatorial African Francs were replaced by the two CFA Francs. CFA means at this time: C olonies F rançaises d ' A frique .

    In 1946 the new constitution and with it the Quatrième République Française came into force and made France and its colonies a Union française .

    In 1955, the Banque de l'Afrique Occidentale was renamed Institut d'Emission de l'Afrique Occidentale Française et du Togo . At the same time, the Institut d'Emission de l'Afrique Equatoriale Française et du Cameroun was founded.

    On March 2, 1956, the French protectorate over Morocco was ended. This began the process of reshaping and dissolving the African part of the French colonial empire, which lasted about ten years. In Algeria, since 1954 at the latest, the struggle of the indigenous population for independence had turned into a bloody war. While French politicians had initially insisted on the position that Algeria was an integral part of French national territory and thus its independence was non-negotiable, in 1958 a willingness to compromise emerged, which was in turn rejected by parts of the army and the population of Algeria of European descent.

    On the night of May 13-14, 1958, the French army led by General Jacques Massu and General Raoul Salan carried out a coup against the central government in Paris in Algiers . On May 27, 1958, General Charles de Gaulle announced that he had initiated "the regular process for the formation of a republican government." He warned of any disturbance of public order and expressed his confidence in the military leaders in Algiers. The next day, the French government under Prime Minister Pierre Pflimlin resigned. A mass rally against Charles de Gaulle's takeover took place in Paris.

    On May 29, 1958, French President René Coty appointed General de Gaulle as Prime Minister. On June 1, the French National Assembly approved this appointment by 329 votes to 224. Subsequently, the National Assembly granted de Gaulle extraordinary powers, and adjourned sine die , d. H. it practically dissolved. This ended the Quatrième République Française (Fourth Republic). De Gaulle had a draft constitution drawn up in 1958, which, according to his ideas, provided for a weak parliament and a strong president. On September 14th, after heated debates, the Socialist and Radical Parties decided to recommend the adoption of the government draft for a new French constitution. In a referendum ( référendum ) on September 28, 1958, the French adopted this constitution, which is still valid today, with 79.25%. This was the beginning of the Cinquième République .

    Under this new constitution, France and its colonies became the Communauté française . CFA now stood for C ommunautés F rançaises d ' A frique .

    In 1960 all the colonies in sub-Saharan Africa became independent, and Algeria finally followed in 1962 against fierce resistance from parts of the army and the European population. Although the institutions of the French Community had only existed on paper since 1961, political and economic ties to France were maintained in sub-Saharan Africa in cooperation with the political elites of the independence movements, which in many cases soon established authoritarian regimes in the young nation states. Many of the African politicians had studied in France, were very fond of French culture and had close ties to French politics. Between 1946 and 1960, many of them were members of the French National Assembly as part of the Union française, Félix Houphouët-Boigny was even a minister under Charles de Gaulle, and Léopold Sédar Senghor became a member of the Académie française . The name Françafrique was coined for these close ties between the former colonial power France and the African states .

    In 1959, the Institut d'Emission de l'Afrique Equatoriale Française et du Cameroun was restructured and renamed the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique Equatoriale et du Cameroun (BCEAC).

    In the same year Africa policy was restructured under de Gaulle. Little changed in this decision-making structure until 2007. The individual elements:

    • Africa policy is an “exclusive domain of the president”.
    • Foreign policy advisory group for Africa: An advisory group for Africa, the Secrétariat général à la présidence de la République pour les Affaires africaines et malgaches, was founded by Jacques Foccart at the seat of the President in the Elysée Palace and headed by him until 1974. The secretariat was soon nicknamed la cellule Afrique de l'Elysée or cellule africaine . When Nicolas Sarkozy took office in 2007, cellule africaine was dissolved and Africa policy continued in a different form.
    • A foreign policy area of ​​interest has been defined, a number of countries in which France's power and influence are to be retained. This area is called pays du champ (lands of the field), sometimes also chasse gardée (protected hunting), pré carré (square pasture) or champ privilegié (preferred field).

    These countries are the target of the policy of the cellule africaine and the Africa policy of the (respective) president. Little has changed in the “countries of the field” since this fixation - until today. These regions are defined as follows:

    Defense treaties were signed between Benin, Niger and Ivory Coast and France in 1961.

    In the same year a number of defense and economic agreements were signed between France and African countries. In sum, the treaties are referred to as pacte colonial . He guaranteed France access rights (military access rights, raw materials, etc.) in almost all matters of the - formally independent - signatory states. These contracts are in full and unreservedly in force to this day. Their effects on monetary policy are controversial.

    In 1962 the currency areas were reorganized again. The Institut d'Emission de l'Afrique Occidentale Française et du Togo has been renamed Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO).

    After 1965

    In 1972 the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique Equatoriale et du Cameroun (BCEAC) was restructured again and renamed Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BEAC).

    In 1974 the BCC ( Banque Centrale des Comores ), and thus the Comoros franc , was organizationally / administratively assigned to the BEAC / CEMAC group in the Banque de France.

    In 1983, President François Mitterrand made his son, Jean-Christophe Mitterrand , deputy head of cellule africaine . Because of this close interweaving of the actors - even by French standards - Jean-Christophe Mitterrand was nicknamed Papa m'a dit (= Papa told me) by the Francophone / CFA heads of state .

    1986 President François Mitterrand made his son Jean-Christophe Mitterrand the conseiller pour les Affaires africaines , and thus head of the cellule africaine (term of office until 1992).

    Map of the countries of the "zone de solidarité prioritaires"

    In 1998 the pays du champ , the core area of ​​French Africa policy, were supplemented by a new generic term, the zone de solidarité prioritaire . Attempts were made to gain a foothold in formerly Soviet-dominated countries.

    French colonial empire, light blue: first acquisitions from the 16th century, dark blue: acquisitions up to 1920

    Franc currency area today

    The CFA franc is part of the franc zone, which was essentially shaped by Jacques Foccart . According to the understanding of the Banque de France , the franc zone emerged as a further development of the former French colonial empire and due to the willingness of these countries to maintain an institutional framework that had previously contributed to macroeconomic stability.

    2007: France and its overseas departments and territories

    The Franc Zone consists of:

    The French overseas territories that use the euro as their currency are:

    The French overseas territories that use the CFP franc as currency are:

    The French overseas territories of French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , Réunion , Saint-Pierre et Miquelon and Mayotte , on the other hand, like continental France and the Principality of Monaco , which forms a currency union with France as a French protectorate , use the euro and therefore do not (no longer) belong to the zone franc .

    The countries that use the CFA franc as their currency are divided into two currency areas corresponding to the former colonial administrative areas :

    • French West Africa became the currency area XOF (CFA-BCEAO) , which has now expanded to become the currency and economic community UEMOA . The abbreviation CFA has in this currency area the significance: Francesco de la C ommunauté F inancière d ' A frique . The participating countries are:
      • Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
    • French Equatorial Africa became the currency area XAF (CFA-BEAC) , which has now expanded to become the currency and economic community CEMAC . The abbreviation CFA has in this currency area the significance: Francesco de la C ooperation F inancière en A frique Centrale . The following countries belong to the currency area:
      • Central African Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

    CFP franc, CFA franc and Comorian franc are pegged to the euro with a fixed exchange rate . Before the introduction of the euro, these currencies were tied to the French franc, the CFA franc with an exchange rate of 100 CFA francs = 1  FF .

    CFA franc

    Relationship to the euro currency area

    In the first half of 1998 the French Vice-President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christian Noyer , prepared a recommendation for a Council decision on exchange rate issues related to the CFA franc and the Comoros franc. The Council Decision of 23 November 1998 was adopted on the basis of this recommendation .

    The European Union then allowed France to continue its exchange rate agreements with the UEMOA , CEMAC and the Comoros following the replacement of the French franc by the euro . France and the African signatories to the agreements retained sole responsibility for the implementation of these agreements.

    The French competent authorities regularly inform the Commission, the ECB and the Economic and Financial Committee about the implementation of these agreements. The French authorities inform the Economic and Financial Committee of any changes in parity between the euro and the CFA franc or the Comorian franc. France may negotiate and finalize changes to the current agreements provided that they do not change the nature and scope of these agreements. The Commission, the ECB and the Economic and Financial Committee must be informed of such changes. France shall submit any plans to change the nature and scope of these agreements to the Commission, the ECB and the Economic and Financial Committee. The plans require the approval of the Council on the basis of a recommendation from the Commission and after consulting the ECB.

    France's role in the monetary system

    The CFA franc was created in 1945 and has been pegged to the French franc at a fixed exchange rate ever since . This system was maintained even after the end of French colonial rule and the acquisition of sovereignty by the African states. Since the beginning there has only been a devaluation of the Franc CFA to the Franc, albeit by 50 percent: on January 1, 1994 the exchange rate from the Franc to the Franc CFA was changed from 1:50 to 1: 100. With the introduction of the euro, this monetary network only had to be converted to the euro. Since then: the exchange rate between the euro and the CFA franc is 1: 665.957.

    Some decisions are made by France alone - without consulting the CFA banks. The devaluation of the CFA franc was decided in 1994 solely by the Banque de France and only communicated to the CFA states.

    Other decisions are put to a vote by France - or the CFA banks. The majority requirement in decisions of the Board of Directors of the CFA central banks:

    Central bank Total Board of Directors of which board members in France Necessary decision-making majority to make important decisions
    BCEAO 16 2 Right of veto for French board members
    BEAC 13 3 Unanimous decisions (exclusively)
    Banque Centrale des Comores 8th 4th Majority decisions (at least five votes required)

    With its board of directors, France can block any major decision by these banks.

    In the opinion of critics of this monetary system, it only serves the economic and political interests of France. It is also the countries of the CFA zone that financed the French economy. The fixed link to the euro makes exports from African countries more expensive and makes imports from France easier. It allows African elites to shop cheaply in Europe.

    The convertibility of the CFA franc is severely restricted.

    There is no CFA-internal convertibility. The two CFA currency areas each have their own CFA franc currencies. These currencies are not convertible to one another. It is not possible to exchange CFA-Franc-BCEAO for CFA-Franc-BEAC, or vice versa. Any exchange between the currency areas and within the currency areas requires the approval of the Banque de France.

    External convertibility is only possible indirectly. The Banque de France guarantees the possibility of exchanging the CFA francs for the euro (formerly franc) via the mechanisms - and thus controlled by - the Banque de France. This only allows conversion under the strictest conditions. This means that CFA francs must first be exchanged for euros. These euros can be exchanged freely convertible.

    To compensate for the French Republic's guarantee of CFA franc convertibility, the CFA countries have to deposit 65 percent of their currency reserves with Agence France Trésor . The countries have to deposit another 20 percent of their currency reserves in order to hedge against financial uncertainties. This means that the African countries have no access to 85 percent of their currency reserves.

    Criticism of the CFA financial system

    The CFA system of currency reserves is massively criticized in Africa. The President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade , demanded the return of the currency reserves held by the Banque de France to the CFA countries.

    Critics accuse France and the ruling elites in its former colonies that the only rational reason for the existence of the CFA franc is a tacit agreement to plunder the states of the franc zone. The balance of the partnership between France and its former African colonies is highly one-sided. In this way, France secured a huge market for its products, an uninterrupted supply of cheap raw materials, the repatriation of the lion's share of local savings, unrivaled political influence, free strategic presence on military bases and the certainty that it could rely on the diplomatic support of its African allies could. For Africans, however, this partnership means a weakening of trade, money shortages, high interest rates, massive capital flight and mountains of debt, the repayment of which prevents the necessary investments in education and training, in health care, food production, in housing and in industry.

    The CFA franc is viewed by critics as a single currency imposed on the countries after independence, although they are no longer part of the common market alliance established by France. The CFA franc is a currency that was created to keep African countries poor.

    In the opinion of critics, the CFA states have never been decolonized, and (neo-) colonialism is still in force.

    Critics accuse the CFA system of having served generations of French entrepreneurs and politicians, the Messieurs Afrique and their African junior partners, for their own benefit, at the expense of the French taxpayer and the poor in African countries. It is a self-service shop of the elite. French entrepreneurs have twice the profit margins in Africa than in their mother country. The prices for French imports in sub-Saharan Africa - enforced by means of delivery agreements and political patronage - would have long been 30% above world market prices for comparable goods and services.

    Overall, the CFA franc prevents any independent economic and social policy of the states concerned. It slows down development and hinders regional integration.

    Currency Reform (2019)

    Towards the end of 2019, France and the eight West African countries concerned agreed on a currency reform of the CFA franc. France will withdraw and the future currency Eco will continue to be pegged to the euro.

    French military presence

    Military agreement

    Cooperation with Africa and especially the CFA zone is a top priority for France. 80% of the total French military cooperation budget is invested in this region. The French parliament receives regular reports from those responsible on the current status.

    12 of the 14 CFA states are bound to France by military agreements.

    • Accords de défense (defense agreements ) exist with Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Senegal and Togo.
    • Accords de coopération militaire (military cooperation agreements) exist with Benin, Central African Republic, Congo / Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Niger, Chad, Togo and the Comoros.
    • In addition, France has its own Ecoles nationales vocation regional (military schools) in eight of the 14 CFA countries .

    This has been handled and managed by the DCMD (Direction de la coopération militaire et de défense) since 1998 and by the Direction de la Coopération de Sécurité et de Défense (DCSD) since 2009 . French politicians have given the DCSD a comprehensive and precise mandate. This order includes, among other things, that the sale of French military equipment is to be supported. Between 2002 and 2005, French arms supply contracts were worth $ 900 million.

    Military bases

    The negotiations on the independence of the colonies already included securing the continued existence of the French military base network. The French colonial army became a French stationed intervention army.

    The stationing and base structure has changed over the years and has this structure in 2008:

    • Ivory Coast , Abidjan : Troupes Françaises de Côte d'Ivoire / OPEX Licorne (2000 men)
    • Gabon , Libreville : Troupes Françaises du Gabon (980 men)
    • Senegal , Dakar : Forces Françaises interarmées du Cap Vert (1200 men)
    • Djibouti (not CFA): Forces Françaises de Djibouti (2900 men)
    • Deployment as part of OPEX (Opérations extérieures) in CFA countries:

    In 2008, France had troops stationed in seven out of 14 CFA countries, or troops are deployed to actively fight.

    Military intervention since 1960

    Since the independence of the African colonies (1960), France has carried out a large number of military interventions in Africa, especially the CFA zone. Since 1976 these military interventions have been known as OPEX (opérations exceptionnelles) . OPEX is considered an imperative to ensure the national security of France.

    After the independence of the colonies, France carried out its first military intervention in a CFA state in Gabon in 1964. Since then, France has carried out one major military intervention in Africa on average every 14 months (37 military interventions 1964–2007).

    The aim of these interventions was in each case to keep France-friendly governments in the CFA zone in power or to bring them to power.

    In wars in Africa, the French army is a key player. French policy in Africa (and thus military policy) is a traditional domain of the French president, who usually issues the deployment orders directly. Reports are made to Parliament. Parliamentarians also question the responsible military personnel in hearings. The French politicians are therefore fully and in great detail aware of the extent and effects of the respective OPEX.

    OPEX can take a short time, but also have a very long term. OPEX Epervier in Chad was ordered in 1986 by President François Mitterrand , Prime Minister Fabius and Defense Minister Quilès . The OPEX Epervier is currently (2008) still running.

    Criticism of France's CFA policy

    Critics accuse French politics of cementing the political facts with military interventions in the CFA zone. The dictators of these countries ruled with France's approval and support
    . France is also accused of being a good hiding place for rulers of African countries or their assets.

    In France, this approach of French politics is not without controversy, it is also criticized internationally, but is supported by the majority of French politicians.

    Democracy and freedom in global comparison

    Democracy index

    The Economist Democracy Index Light = index above 9, dark = below 2
    Classification of countries according to their degree of freedom - 2008 report
  • free
    		•
  • partly free
    		•
  • not free
    		•

    The Democracy Index of The Economist magazine ranks the three CFA countries Togo , Chad and Central African Republic in positions 164 to 166 among 167 nations.

    Within this index one speaks of two types of democracy and two types of regimes : complete democracies and incomplete democracies as well as hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes .

    Freedom index

    Freedom House research institute produces an annual report, Freedom in the World, in which it assesses the level of democracy and freedom in nations and major disputed territories around the world. Political rights and civil liberties are given on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free).

    Standard of living

    Income, debt, corruption

    Worldwide percentage of the population living on less than a dollar a day. UN estimates 1990–2005
    Poorest countries in the world: Low-Income-Countries (LIC) (income / inhabitant below US $ 745), source: World Bank 2001
    Corruption in international comparison (2007)
    Debt map of the HIPC countries

    The CFA countries are among the lowest income countries in the world. At the same time, they belong to the group of highly indebted developing countries .

    The corruption perception index is one to three, i.e. H. at the lower end of the scale.

    In 2008, Transparency International France indicted five African heads of state of corruption in a French court, including the four CFA heads of state Omar Bongo ( Gabon ), Denis Sassou Nguesso ( Republic of the Congo ), Blaise Campaoré ( Burkina Faso ) and Teodoro Obiang Nguema ( Equatorial Guinea ).

    Life expectancy, health care, AIDS

    Percentage of the population with health care
    UN 2006: 2005–2010 life expectancy at birth (years)

    The life expectancy in the CFA zone belongs to the lowest in the world. The health systems in the CFA countries are very poorly developed. One consequence of this is the highest child mortality rate in the world.

    Polluted drinking water is a major cause of many illnesses and deaths in developing countries. Compared to the rest of the world, the CFA zone is particularly poorly supplied with clean drinking water. It is usually not the availability of water, but the quality of this water. A comprehensive drinking water purification is not given.

    Share of people infected with HIV and AIDS in the population (2005)

    The AIDS infection rate is higher than worldwide. In relation to Africa, other non-CFA countries have higher infection rates with a higher life expectancy for the local population. The high death rates are also due to the low health care rate (see overview).

    To what extent the AIDS rates are actually as high as stated is debatable, since diseases other than AIDS are often diagnosed. So z. For example, the French nuclear company AREVA portrayed employees with radiation sickness in the company's own hospitals as infected with AIDS.

    2006
    world
    region     		AIDS
    infected
    total
    New AIDS
    infections     		AIDS
    death
    cases     		AIDS
    death
    rate%
    AFRICA / Sub-Sahara 24.7 million 2.8 million 2.1 million 8.5%
    AMERICA / South (= Latinam.) 1.7 million 140,000 65,000 3.85%
    AMERICA / Caribbean 250,000 27,000 19,000 7.6%
    EUROPA / West u. Central 740,000 22,000 12,000 1.65%

    Hunger and vitamin deficiency

    Percentage of the population with     vitamin A deficiency
    Percentage of the population that is hungry , World Food Program , 2006

    Hunger is the daily norm for millions of people in the CFA countries. Vitamin deficiency is the order of the day due to the generally poor food supply in the CFA zone.

    Overfishing and threatened food supplies

    West African demersal fish stocks have shrunk to a quarter since the 1950s. For example, in Senegal, the total populations of five species were examined. They have decreased by 75% over the past 15 years. This trend can be observed along the entire West African coast as far as Namibia.

    The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that non-native vessels catch around 80 to 90% of all fishing off West Africa. The fleets of the EU, Russia and some countries in Asia are mainly responsible for overfishing . Outstanding here is the EU, which with around 80% is the main purchaser of fish and wood exports from the Community of West African States (ECOWAS, includes the CFA zone). However, competition with Asian nations such as China for resources is already emerging.

    As a sociological consequence of the declining fishing yields for the simply equipped local fishermen, according to the WWF , some of them are going to operate as traffickers or to try to escape to the EU themselves. At the same time, unsustainable fishing threatens the food supply for the local population.

    Rights and position of women and children

    children

    Child mortality rate
     
    UN- HDI 2007/08: Percentage of children who are too small for their age

    The child mortality rate in the CFA zone is one of the highest worldwide . The percentage of children who are too young for their age in the CFA countries is 30% and higher.

    According to a UNICEF study, child trafficking exists in the CFA countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Mali, Togo and in Nigeria, which is not part of the CFA zone .

    Child slaves are used in agriculture in West Africa. In Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Togo, and other countries, they are used in the cultivation and harvesting of cotton, cocoa, coffee, bananas, etc. They are used as stone cutters in Niger and Togo. In larger cities, the children are used as sex slaves. In April 2008, a state suit brought against Niger by a former child slave caused a sensation, since it legitimized the practice of slavery through customary law despite conflicting criminal laws.

    Literacy and educational opportunities

    Education index (based on the 2007/08 Human Development Report )
    Literacy rate worldwide by country

    Of the fourteen CFA states, nine have a literacy rate below 50%. Among the ten least literate states in the world, seven are CFA states. The four least literate countries in the world are the CFA countries

    • Niger with a literacy rate of 28.7%,
    • Chad with 25.7%,
    • Mali with 24.0% and
    • Burkina Faso with 23.6%.

    The children in the CFA zone have - in a global comparison - the lowest school attendance rates. In Niger, for example, only 36% of boys and 25% of girls attend primary school , in Burkina Faso it is 35% and 29%, respectively.

    Globally, the opportunity for girls to attend schools is lowest in the CFA zone.

    Human Development Index

    Ten of the 14 CFA countries are from the UN in the list of least developed countries implemented or are in accordance with the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Program to the least developed countries of the world.

    In 1997, three CFA countries were among the poorest ten out of 175 listed countries; in 2007/08, six CFA countries were among 177 countries:

    UN-HDI 2013
    UN Least Developed Countries 2007
    1997
    place     		1997
    land     		2007/08
    place     		2007/08
    country
    166. Mozambique 168. Democratic Republic of Congo
    167. Guinea 169. Ethiopia
    168. Eritrea 170. Chad (CFA)
    169. Burundi 171. Central African Republic (CFA)
    170. Ethiopia 172. Mozambique
    171. Mali (CFA) 173. Mali (CFA)
    172. Burkina Faso (CFA) 174. Niger (CFA)
    173. Niger (CFA) 175. Guinea-Bissau (CFA)
    174. Rwanda 176. Burkina Faso (CFA)
    175. Sierra Leone 177. Sierra Leone

    economy

    Gross National Product and Economic Growth

    Gross National Product /
    Growth Rate 2007
    Gross national product per capita (nominal) 2007 (IMF, April 2008)

    The gross national product per capita in the CFA countries ranges from under $ 500 ( Togo ) to over $ 6,000 ( Gabon ). The growth rates are in the global midfield with 2 to 6%.

    export

    cotton

    Cotton production in 2005

    For the CFA countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Togo, cotton is an important export and economic commodity with considerable production volumes. About 6 million people in the CFA zone live directly on cotton. About 10 to 15% of the world's raw cotton exports come from the CFA countries.

    Only about 6% of the cotton grown in the CFA zone can also be processed in the CFA zone, as there is hardly any textile industry in the CFA zone. About 90% of the cultivated cotton is exported and is therefore dependent on the world market price.

    raw materials

    oil
    Oil producing countries

    Notable oil is produced in four CFA countries. The production rates of the CFA countries in 2007:

    For the CFA states of the Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast and Senegal , oil processing is an important industry. The Republic of the Congo processes its own oil, while the Ivory Coast and Senegal have to import the oil.

    Natural resources

    For Niger , Mali and Burkina Faso , gold is an important export good. Parts of the national territory of these countries are not suitable for agricultural use because they are areas of the Sahara desert and the Sahel zone . However, these barren landscapes hold rich natural resources.

    Diamonds are mined in the CFA countries of Central African Republic , Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Republic of the Congo. The Central African Republic is the tenth largest diamond miner in the world. The diamond business is under strong international criticism because the diamonds traded are said to be blood diamonds . The Republic of the Congo in particular is said to be trading with these blood diamonds. The fact that children are employed as workers in the diamond mines (like the gold mines) in Niger and Burkina Faso is also criticized.

    In Togo and Senegal are phosphates an important export. Aluminum is an important export good for Cameroon . In Gabon is manganese promoted.

    uranium

    Uranium is sought or mined in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. Niger is the fourth largest uranium exporter in the world after Canada, Australia and Kazakhstan.

    The French Areva group is involved in a number of production areas and exploration projects. In the CFA state of Niger alone , Areva mines so much uranium that it covers 40% of France's total annual uranium requirement for electricity generation. The uranium price paid is less than a third of the world market price.

    literature

    Web links

    Commons : CFA Franc Zone  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

    Individual evidence

    1. ↑ David Signer: A bit of France in every banknote In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung of September 26, 2017
    2. ^ France intervenes out of self-interest . In: The world
    3. ↑ Les Cahiers du Center de Recherches Historiques, Marc Michel 2002: Au travers des archives Foccart. Les relations franco-africaines de 1958 à 1962
    4. ↑ jeuneafrique, September 15, 2017: De Jacques Foccart à Franck Paris, plongée au cœur de la cellule africaine de l'Élysée
    5. ↑ Morality in French Africa Policy. A dazzling relationship ( Memento from October 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Page 9 of the PDF file 180 kB In: German Foreign Policy
    6. ↑ gouv.ci, June 27, 2011: Cooperation militaire: le ministre français de la Defense precise les raisons de sa visite en Cote d'Ivoire , renewal of the Accords de défense entre la Côte d'Ivoire et la France
    7. ↑ À qui profitent les mines d'or? ( Memento of November 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Les Alternatives
    8. ↑ Le site Ndouné, November 13, 2008: Le franc CFA fille du pacte colonial français ( Memento of August 18, 2019 in the Internet Archive )
    9. ↑ Le Monde, February 22, 2017: Confusions autour d'un "impôt colonial" et du franc CFA
    10. ↑ Les principes flous du pacte colonial et l'historicisme de la chiraquie . ( Memento from April 18, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Africa-humanvoice
    11. ↑ Afrique: Le pacte colonial et la monnaie de servitude qu'est le Franc CFA . ( Memento from July 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Ndjamena Matin
    12. ^ Jean-Christophe Mitterrand in the French language Wikipedia
    13. ^ La coopération française entre ravalement et réforme . In: Le Monde diplomatique
    14. ↑ a b What is Franc Area? Banque de France
    15. ↑ Currencies of the countries and territories of the Franc zone and issuing institutes . (PDF; 10 kB) Banque de France
    16. ↑ Opinion of the European Central Bank (CON / 98/37) (PDF; 39 kB)
    17. ↑ Council of the European Union: Decision of the Council of 23 November 1998 on exchange rate issues in connection with the CFA franc and the Comoros franc (98/683 / EC) (PDF)
    18. ^ The Free Library, 2008: CFA - The Grip France won't let go
    19. ^ Cooperation agreement between the Republic of France and the member republics of the West African Monetary Union , Article 10 Banque de France
    20. ^ The devil is in the details
    21. ↑ Challenges facing the CFA Franc ( Memento of the original from June 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF) BNP Paribas @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / economic-research.bnpparibas.com
    22. ↑ Senegal Info from January 13, 2004: An Informal Empire ( Memento from October 19, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
    23. ↑ Senegal after the end of state socialism ( Memento from February 23, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) In: Le Monde , April 14, 2000
    24. ↑ Hinsley Njila: CFA - A currency designed to Keep Francophone African Countries poor . ( Memento from February 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
    25. ↑ Stop francafrique
    26. ↑ 1958–2008: 50 ans de République Françafricaine . ( Memento from December 19, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) In: Afrique Liberation
    27. ^ The Euro, a blessing for Africa? (PDF; 192 kB) UNI-Munich 1998, page 60 ff, accessed on February 28, 2016
    28. ↑ France can only maintain its status by exploiting the former colonies. In: German business news. March 15, 2015, accessed on November 21, 2019 (German).
    29. ^ Fears of devaluation in Africa . In: Le Monde Diplomatique , June 11, 2004
    30. ↑ West African countries call their currency "Eco" orf.at, December 21, 2019
    31. ^ France Diplomatie, April 7, 2009: La Direction de la coopération de sécurité et de défense ( Memento of May 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), military cooperations
    32. ^ Military relations with Africa - questions to Defense Minister Sénat
    33. ↑ Military relations with Africa - questions to the head of the DCMD Sénat
    34. ↑ Military Agreement . In: Le Monde Diplomatique
    35. ^ Mastercarriers Internationales les-relations-france-afrique
    36. ^ France Diplomatie, April 29, 2008: Les Ecoles Nationales à Vocation Régionale (ENVR) ( Memento of March 9, 2009 in the Internet Archive ), Military Schools Abroad
    37. ↑ Survie, March 2018: Coopération militaire et policière en Françafrique. Organizer des armées et des polices, structurer des dépendances , page 9 of the PDF file 2.79 MB
    38. ↑ DGRIS, February 14, 2019: Le réseau diplomatique de défense , the network of diplomatic and military cooperation
    39. ↑ Speroforum France increases arms sales and intervention
    40. ↑ Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1998–2005 (PDF; 320 kB) FAS - Federation of American Scientists
    41. ↑ Study Le militarisme francaise en Afrique (PDF; 955 kB) In: Politique Africain
    42. ↑ Le Humanité , May 26, 1990: Le Presence militaire sur le Continent ( Memento of July 14, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
    43. ^ The French Military in Africa ( February 19, 2010 memento in the Internet Archive ) Council on Foreign Relations
    44. ↑ Les forces de présence françaises: des outils stratégiques majeurs adaptés à la situation international africaine . ( Memento of January 30, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 151 kB) Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS)
    45. ↑ Les militaires français en Afrique . Linternauten
    46. ↑ licorne apporte son aide au togo ( memento of October 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) politique digital
    47. ↑ 20 milliards d'euros pour les Opex depuis 1976 ( Memento of October 5, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) CIRPES
    48. ↑ F-Gouv diplomacy allocution du Ministre de la Defense: "Of Operations Extérieures au service de la securité des Francais"
    49. ^ France's Army Keeps Grip in African Ex-Colonies In: The New York Times , May 22, 1996
    50. ↑ Christopher Griffin: French Military Interventions in Africa: Realism vs. Ideology in French Defense Policy and Grand Strategy ( Memento of the original from August 19, 2019 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Conference paper International Studies Association 2007 Annual Convention , February 28 - March 3, 2007, Chicago @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / citation.allacademic.com
    51. ↑ L'armée française en première ligne dans les conflits d'Afrique centrale . In: Le Monde
    52. ↑ France Diplomatie: 18è sommet franco-africain, Biarritz, 7/9 November 1994 ( Memento of November 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
    53. ↑ Afrique centrale: une forte demande de présence française Sénat
    54. ^ F-Ministere de la Defense CEMA: gestion de crises en Afrique subsaharienne Sénat
    55. ↑ Etat-major des armées: Les éléments français au Tchad (EFT): l'opération Epervier ( Memento of October 17, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
    56. ↑ En Afrique, des dictatures qui ne tiennent qu'à un fil! Tunezine
    57. ↑ Dictateurs "amis de la France" - morceaux choisis ( Memento of 19 February 2009 at the Internet Archive ) Cellulefrancafrique
    58. ↑ La France et les dictatures africaines: le cas du Togo Congopage
    59. ↑ Inside France's secret was . In: The Independent
    60. ↑ La France, une bonne planque pour les dirigeants africains? Africa
    61. ↑ La France arbitre le conflit de dictatures au Tchad . ( Memento of May 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Les Verts
    62. ↑ pressafrique.com, November 18, 2005: Hissène Habré - Le syndicat des dictateurs fait pression sur Wade ( Memento of November 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
    63. ↑ Afrique Centrale: Une forte demande de présence française . Senate
    64. ^ Five African leaders sued for corruption . RFI
    65. ↑ a b Life expectancy, child mortality, child mortality under 5 years . UN Statistics Division
    66. ↑ unicef, March 2019: Water under fire. For every child, water and sanitation in complex emergencies , PDF file 1.57 MB
    67. ↑ Availability of clean drinking water (PDF; 1.9 MB) WHO (overview on page 8)
    68. ↑ publiceye.ch: Areva ( Memento of 6 December 2008 at the Internet Archive ) Public Eye Award
    69. ↑ unaids.org: Global summary of the AIDS epidemic December 2006 ( Memento of March 25, 2009 in the Internet Archive ), (PDF; 98 kB)
    70. ↑ Umweltjournal, July 1, 2002: EU fishing fleets empty waters in West Africa . ( Memento from July 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
    71. ↑ D + Z 05/2008: Biodiversity and Poverty. The Looting of West Africa ( Memento from June 4, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) INWENT
    72. ↑ Refugees instead of fish. In: FOCUS online
    73. ↑ EU fleet exploits the West African coast . In: Deutsche Welle
    74. ^ The State of worlds Children 2004 . UNICEF
    75. ^ UNICEF Innocenti Research Center, April 2002: Child Trafficking in West Africa: Policy Responses . ( Memento from June 23, 2003 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 408 kB)
    76. ^ Historic slavery case launched against Niger . Resistingwomen
    77. ↑ Human Development Reports . ( Memento from January 23, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) UNDP
    78. ↑ School attendance of children worldwide (PDF; 57 kB) UNICEF
    79. ^ The State of worlds Children 2004 UNICEF
    80. ↑ UNCTAD : Cotton Chain. Cotton sectors in Africa ( Memento from September 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive ), as of 2005, information on the cotton economy
    81. ↑ USDA , December 21, 2005: Record 2005/06 Cotton Yields Expected for West African Franc Zone ( Memento of September 27, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
    82. ↑ International Cotton Advisory Committee, January 7, 2005: Is West African Cotton Competitive with the US on the World Cotton Market? ( Memento from September 23, 2006 in the Internet Archive ), (PDF; 319 kB)
    83. ↑ UN-Africa Recovery, July 2003: Africa challenges Northern subsidies ( Memento from July 31, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
    84. ↑ UN-Africa Recovery, May 2003: Mounting opposition to Northern farm subsidies ( Memento from August 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
    85. ↑ CFA-Overview 2007 (PDF; 211 kB) Banque de France
    86. ↑ Blood diamonds, gold and copper: over a million children's lives endangered by mining . Reuters
    87. ↑ Blood Diamonds are still a reality . amnesty international
    88. ↑ Voice of America , April 29, 2003: 'Blood Diamonds' Trade Examined at S. Africa Meeting ( Memento of September 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
    89. ↑ Uranium Wise-Uranium.org
    90. ↑ a b French nuclear company still pays crumbs for uranium extraction in the poorest country on the planet labornet