Two weeks after the tragedy in Zamboye, in the west of the Central African Republic, gold mining operations remain suspended. Beyond the human cost, this shutdown highlights the local population’s heavy economic dependence on mining. It is a sector that is, paradoxically, strategic for the country’s exports, yet whose contribution to the national economy remains limited.
In Zamboye, two weeks after the deadly landslide that struck this gold-mining area near the Cameroonian border, activities remain suspended. The closure has brought an entire local economy, largely dependent on gold mining, to an abrupt halt. For many young people, the mine is their main source of income.
We grew up in mining areas and learned this trade from childhood. For many young people here, mining is the main way to earn a living and support their families. I understand the government’s decision to suspend activities. But if these young people remain without work for too long, we risk facing serious social problems.
ALIOU GARGA, Chief Executive Officer of the Douakouzou Company in Zamboye
A local issue that above all highlights a national paradox. According to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the extractive sector accounted for just 1.8% of Central African Republic’s GDP in 2023, while representing 92% of national exports. A discrepancy that raises questions about the country’s ability to turn its abundant natural resources into genuine economic wealth.
Revenues from mining resources remain extremely low in the Central African economy. Compared with other countries endowed with significant natural resources, the sector’s contribution remains limited. This shows that the potential exists, but the country has yet to fully transform its mineral resources into wealth and economic development.
DIDACE SABONE, Economist
In 2024, gold and diamonds still accounted for more than a third of the Central African Republic’s merchandise exports. In Zamboye, the issue now goes beyond the resumption of activities: the challenge is to turn gold into genuine wealth for the national economy.
