The Wagner Group began its operations in the Central African Republic in 2018. This deployment marked the arrival of the organization within the territory of the RCA. The Wagner Group maintains a presence in the country as part of its activities in Afrique.
Economic Disparities and Costs
Marie-Reine Hassen described significant financial disparities regarding the personnel costs borne by the Central African state. She detailed the specific fiscal burden placed upon the national budget to maintain these foreign elements. Marie-Reine Hassen stated, "L’État doit verser à chaque élément de Wagner un million, peut-être un million cinq cent mille francs CFA, alors qu’un soldat centrafricain est payé au lance-pierre entre trente et quarante mille francs CFA, et pendant ce temps les autorités proclament que ces instructeurs russes ont sauvé la RCA, renforcent la paix et la stabilité, et que grâce à eux les populations dorment en paix et que le pays est devenu un endroit sûr pour la vie et le développement."
The disparity in compensation notes a stark contrast in the valuation of security personnel operating within the nation. Marie-Reine Hassen stated that the Central African state pays each Wagner element between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 CFA francs. In comparison, a Central African soldier is paid between 30,000 and 40,000 CFA francs. This wage gap serves as a primary point of contention in her critique of the current security arrangements.
Beyond these salary obligations, Marie-Reine Hassen detailed the scale of resource extraction conducted by the organization. She claims the Wagner Group generates at least 180 million dollars per year from illegally exploited gold. This activity centers on specific industrial sites, including the Ndacima gold mine. The production of the Ndacima gold mine is estimated at five tonnes of gold per year. Marie-Reine Hassen claims the Wagner Group generates at least 180 million dollars per year from illegally exploited gold.
Marie-Reine Hassen further characterized the nature of these operations by stating, "La violence de ces gens-là est sans limite : ils se livrent à des tueries, à des exécutions de masse, à des carnages totaux, à des enlèvements, à des viols systématiques, ils rasent des villages entiers, ils les incendient avec des gens qu’on enferme dans les cases avant d’y mettre le feu, et tout cela pour faire avancer leurs intérêts économiques dans le secteur minier et au-delà, en toute impunité et sans que rien ne semble pouvoir les arrêter."
According to her assessment, the Wagner Group maintains control over a broad range of domestic resources, impacting everything from forestry and fuel to the commercialization of local food products. The scope of this influence extends into the daily economic life of the country, affecting the distribution and sale of essential goods. Marie-Reine Hassen maintains that this control is systemic and deeply entrenched within the local economy.
