• President Touadéra sworn in for a new seven-year term in Bangui

• Mandate follows constitutional change removing term limits

• Poverty and weak growth remain major challenges

President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was sworn in on March 30 in Bangui, beginning a new seven-year term in office.

In his inaugural address, he pledged to govern in line with the Constitution while focusing on key development priorities. He said his administration would prioritize peace, justice, economic strengthening, job creation for young people, and the fight against corruption.

The swearing-in comes more than two months after the Constitutional Court validated his victory in the December 28 election, in which he secured 77.90% of the vote. The result was contested by his main opponent, Anicet-Georges Dologuélé, who alleged fraud.

First elected in 2016, Touadéra is now starting a seven-year term, replacing the previous five-year mandate. The change follows the adoption of a new Constitution in 2023, approved by 95.27% of voters. The revised charter introduces renewable seven-year terms with no limit on the number of mandates, replacing the previous two-term limit.

The new term begins in a difficult economic context. Growth is projected at 2.1% in 2025, while poverty remains widespread. According to the World Bank, about 71% of the population lives below the national poverty line, and 65.7% below the international extreme poverty threshold of $2.15 per day (2017 PPP).

In this environment, the government faces pressure to accelerate social and economic reforms, particularly in security, national cohesion, access to basic services, and the development of agricultural, forestry, and mining resources.

Ingrid Haffiny