The Central African Republic (CAR)’s development is undermined by a culture of elite capture, and a context of violence and insecurity, allowing armed state and non-state groups to proliferate. This study was therefore commissioned by the Transitional Demobilization and Reintegration Program (TDRP) citizens to: a) give an overview of CAR’s history and its past and current relations with its neighbors, b) analyze the important role of the informal sector, c) present an overview of the primary armed (state and non-state) groups and finally d) provide an overview of the gradual transformation of Central Africa’s Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) from economic organizations to security organizations.

The report also makes a series of recommendations that aim to tackle the massive national and regional governance failures in CAR.