Ex-Central African Republic president François Bozize goes into exile

Former Central African Republic President François Bozize has gone into exile in Guinea-Bissau, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has confirmed.

Bozize, 76, landed in the host capital Bissau on Thursday aboard a special flight from Chad, where he had been hiding since 2021.

The former coup and rebel leader was received by President Embalo who ushered him into a house paid for by the Bissau government.

“Today, I received the former President of the CAR François Bozize for humanitarian reasons at the request of the Economic Community of Central African States”, President Embalo wrote on his Facebook page.

The Guinea Bissau leader is the chairperson of Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas.

Bozize ruled CAR from 2003after he overthrew Ange Felix Patasse in a coup, until he was also kicked out in yet another coup in 2013.

Since then CAR has been mired in crises and coup attempts, with Bozize suspected of being one of the main instigators.