CAR brings presidential election forward

Elections to bring an end to the interim authority in Bangui, initially scheduled for 2015, have been moved to 2014.

Central African Republic will bring forward its presidential election to next year, Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye has said, bowing to pressure from former colonial power France to speed up the transition following a coup in March.

“The national electoral authority has been put in place and members will be sworn in by the end of this week, or early next,” Tiangaye said on Thursday after meeting US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Powers in Bangui. 

“They will be in charge of preparation and organisation of the election, which will take place in 2014,” he said.

The rule of interim President Michel Djotodia, the leader of the Seleka rebels who seized power in March, was originally set to last until 2015 under an initial agreement made with regional African powers.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies