Overview
Nov 24, 2007
In Central Africa, south of Libya, can be found one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Recently World Bank funds for an oil pipeline through Chad (pop. 9,493,000; GDP/cap US$589) and Cameroon were reported to have been diverted to buy arms to keep President Idriss Derby in power.Since independence from France in 1960 there have been over three decades of tribal violence, with a struggle for dominance between the Arab-Muslim north and the negro-Christian south. Following an agreement between the rebel forces and the government in 2003 the violence died down, but isolated conflicts still occur in the provinces. The Darfur conflict in neighboring Sudan has further contributed to the unpredictable security situation.