Economic commission warns of "imminent" power outage

The Economic and Financial Commission of Central African Republic's (CAR) ongoing national reconciliation talks told the government on Monday to take immediate steps to avert an "imminent" power outage nationwide. This was contained in the commission's report that it presented to the 350 delegates to the talks. In it, the commission said power cuts were likely because rivers were drying up; because of worn out equipment at the state power utility, the Energie Centrafricaine (or Enerca); and because of corruption within that firm. Presently, the commission said, Enerca was able to meet just 34 percent of the power needs in the provinces, and it rations electricity supplies in the capital, Bangui. Therefore, the commission recommended that more small dams be built in the countryside to provide rural populations with cheap electricity. The war between rebel and government forces between October 2002 and March 2003 weakened Enerca considerably, especially in the north where most fighting took place. This has rendered most public facilities, especially hospitals and health centres, unable to serve the public. The commission is also looking into the farming, breeding, timber, transport, housing, urbanisation, trade, public finances and mining sectors. It recommended that the government draw up a national farm policy, diversify crop cultivation, modernise agriculture, and repair of rural routes. In addition, the commission recommended that the movement of cattle be controlled to avoid illegal cross-border cattle trading. It also called on the government to encourage cattle breeds resistant to sleeping sickness, and to encourage nomadic Fulani herdsmen to settle down. On timber, the government's leading source of income, the commission recommended the implementation of the resolutions of the timber conference that took place early in September, in Bangui. That conference called on the government to stamp out corruption and undertake urgent reforestation of the country. Concerning mining, the government's second most important source of revenue, the commission said businessmen should diversify away from diamonds and go into gold, iron, quartz, uranium and limestone. It also asked the government to speed up oil exploration in the north of the country. Noting that the public financial services were corrupt, the commission called for its overhaul and for the punishment of corrupt officials. Graft within the services is thought to have been the reason for the 32-month arrears in civil servants' salaries during the 10-year administration of President Ange-Felix Patasse. During this time the public debt soared to over 600 billion francs CFA (US $1.1 billion). Commenting on the commission's suggestions, some delegates proposed the creation of a ministry in charge of fighting poverty and corruption and the nomination of western experts to head the country's financial institutions. Other commissions on truth and reconciliation, politics and diplomacy, defence and security, will also present their recommendations to the plenary before the talks end on 6 October.