Boali
The Falls of Boali
The Falls of Boali
Boali is located in Central African Republic
Boali
Boali
Location in Central African Republic
Coordinates: 4°48′N 18°7′E / 4.800°N 18.117°E / 4.800; 18.117
CountryCentral African Republic
PrefectureOmbella-M'Poko
Government
 • MayorPierre Poutou[1]
Population
 (2012)[2]
 • Total9,314

Boali is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ombella-M'Poko.

Boali is located on National Highway 1 (RN1),[3] about 100 km northwest of the national capital, Bangui.[4] The road, one of the country's few paved highways, leads on to Bouar, and ultimately to Cameroon.[5]

Situated on the Mbali River, Boali is noted for its waterfalls and for the nearby hydroelectric works. The Falls of Boali are 250 m wide and 50 m high, and are a popular tourist destination.[5]

The two units of the Boali Hydroelectric Power Station, Boali I and Boali II, are located below the falls. They have a combined generating power of 18.65 megawatts, and are operated by the state-run Enerca.[6] The completion of Boali I in the 1950s spurred several other industrial developments in the town, including the country's first textile mill, which began operating in 1954.[7]

The Boali hydroelectric works supply power to the capital and 13 other towns.[6]

History

Initial arrangements were made in 2010 for a third hydroelectric plant, Boali 3, to be built with Chinese assistance.[8]

Civil war

This strategic role was used by the Seleka rebels in March 2013, who took over the plant on their way to Bangui and shut off power to the city.[9] On 17 January 2014 Séléka withdrew from Boali. 300 anti-Balaka fighters entered town killing four civilians[10] On 5 December 2015 the city was recaptured by government forces.[11]

On 24 December 2020 rebels from Coalition of Patriots for Change attacked Boali.[12] They were pushed back by government forces on 11 January 2021.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Transhumance : "Pour nous, la conciliation doit primer entre les parties"". 22 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "World Gazetteer". Archived from the original on 2013-01-11.
  3. ↑ "Les Chutes de Boali". BanguiWeb. Archived from the original on 2013-04-10. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  4. ↑ O'Toole, Thomas (1986). The Central African Republic The Continent's Hidden Heart. Westview Press. p. 123.
  5. 1 2 Auzias, Dominique; Labourdette, Jean-Paul (2010). "Chutes de Boali". République Centrafricaine 2010-11. Petit Futé. p. 110. ISBN 2746926075.
  6. 1 2 Kalck, Pierre (2004). Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic Third Edition. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810849135.
  7. ↑ Singh, Daleep (2008). Francophone Africa, 1905-2005 A Century of Economic and Social Change. Allied Publishers. p. 201. ISBN 8184242581.
  8. ↑ "China and Central Africa". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  9. ↑ "Séléka conquiert enfin la ville de Bangui, les FACA battent en retraite". Radio Ndeke Luka. 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  10. ↑ "Final report of the International Commission of Inquiry on the Central African Republic".
  11. ↑ "Boali: les FACA gagnent du terrain". 10 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "RCA : Boali, les forces gouvernementales encerclées par les rebelles". 24 December 2020.
  13. ↑ "Army, UN forces repel two rebel attacks in Central African Republic". 11 January 2021.
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