海角大神

A version of this post originally appeared on the Lesley on Africa blog. The views expressed are the author's own.聽

If you鈥檝e been following the news on the Central African Republic over the past 13 months, you have probably seen many references to the country鈥檚 abundant mineral wealth, chronic instability, crushing poverty, sectarian (海角大神 vs. Muslim) strife, and allegations of genocide.

Some of the聽recent analysis and media reporting goes beyond these聽clich茅s, so I thought I鈥檇 highlight them and explain why these pieces present the聽reader with a more complex understanding of recent developments in the country.

Collectively, this reading list offers four things:

First, these readings offer background on Catherine Samba-Panza, previously the mayor of Bangui, who was elected last week as the interim president of the Central African Republic (CAR).聽Beyond the fact that聽Samba-Panza is the first female to hold this position in CAR, these pieces offer insight as to why she鈥檚 different from previous leaders and what challenges she will face as she spearheads聽the transition to an elected government by February 2015.

Second, these readings offer a background of the events leading to and during the transition earlier this month, such as why Michel聽Djotodia聽(former聽leader of the聽S茅l茅ka rebel coalition that toppled former president聽Fran莽ois Boziz茅聽last March)聽had to go and the process that dictated the selection of candidates for interim president.

Third, these readings offer a better understanding of identity in the CAR beyond the Muslim/海角大神 labels, and gives the reader some perspective on notions of foreign-ness in the CAR and how they have come into play throughout the country鈥檚 history.

Finally, the readings offer context on the historical and contemporary role of foreign 鈥� European AND African 鈥� influence on conflicts in the聽Central African Republic, which is critical for understanding the geopolitics of the region. Major headliners are France (bien s没r!), Chad, Libya, and South Africa.

So without further ado, here鈥檚 some of the good coverage I鈥檝e read over the past few weeks:

• Central African Republic鈥檚 new president 鈥榓 fresh start鈥櫬爁rom the聽Institute for Security Studies聽

• Central African Republic: The Third Government in Thirteen Months Gets Under Way聽from the聽International Crisis Group聽

• Genocide-mongering does nothing to help us understand the messy dynamics of conflict in the CAR聽on African Arguments聽(by Louisa Lombard, who also blogs at聽Foole鈥檚 No Man鈥檚 Land)

• France, Chad, Gaddafi and the CAR: years of meddling should not be ignored now聽on聽African Arguments

• South Africa in the CAR: Was pulling the troops a catastrophic mistake?聽from the Daily Maverick.聽(Last March, I had weighed in on the aftermath of South African casualties in the CAR with聽South Africa inspires a 鈥淲hiskey Tango Foxtrot鈥� in the聽CAR. Best title EVER, right?)

Si vous lisez聽fran莽ais, the articles below offer background on the new interim president, and why her civil society roots and Chadian/Central African heritage may make her the right leader at the right time:

• Catherine Samba-Panza: 芦Maire de Bangui, j鈥檃i toujours eu de bonnes relations avec tout le monde禄聽(Q&A with聽Catherine Samba-Panza: 鈥淢ayor of Bangui, I have always had good relations with everyone鈥�)聽from聽Radio France Internationale

• Centrafrique : 5 choses 脿 savoir sur Catherine Samba Panza la nouvelle聽pr茅sidente de transition聽(Five things to know about Catherine Samba-Panza the new transitional president) from聽Jeune Afrique

• Catherine Samba-Panza, nouvelle pr茅sidente de Centrafrique: pourquoi elle聽(Catherine Samba-Panza, the new president of the Central African Republic: why her?)聽from聽Radio France Internationale