SUCAF Revival?
By Gilles DELEUZE | LNC
(Bambari, July 22, 2026 | LNC) The issue is that the Lebanese company SATA—replacing the former SUCAF—wants to set up operations in the village of Koshiotoulou. To do so, it simply wants to relocate the residents 15 km away to Ngakobo, in the Ouaka region. However, the residents of Koshiotoulou strongly disagree. Mathias Pangorama, a local resident, points out that the local population occupied the area long before SUCAF arrived and never had any disputes with that company. "We are the indigenous people of this village. Our parents were the first occupants, even before SUCAF arrived. We never had any problems with that company. To our great surprise, SATA—accompanied by the Prefect of Ouaka and the President of the Bambari High Court—came to announce our relocation to a site 15 kilometers away, offering as sole compensation 18 sheets of roofing and a few kilos of nails per household. We felt frustrated, as if we weren't Central Africans with a right to our own land," he said. He also recalled that the residents had helped protect SUCAF during times of crisis. "We were the ones who secured the company during difficult times. Is this how we are thanked? We will not leave our village, where our homes, our fields, and our ancestors' graves are located." The Prefect of Ouaka, Pascal Pamal, confirms the existence of this relocation plan: "This involves a Lebanese company authorized by the State to establish itself on the site of the former SUCAF. Given the planned activities, it is necessary for the affected populations to be relocated." Two sites were proposed to them, including one along the Kouango route, approximately 15 kilometers away. The land belongs to the State, which may allocate it in the public interest.” In his view, the residents of the village in question are being influenced by individuals opposed to the project. “These people are being manipulated by a group of individuals whose names I know. This relocation had been planned since the days of SUCAF. It is not, therefore, a new issue.” It should be noted that SUCAF had operated in Ngakobo for several decades before ceasing activities due to the country's security crisis. The Lebanese company SATA intends to resume operations.
LNC
Date: July 22, 2026
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