Who was Catherine Samba-Panza and how did she become interim president?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Catherine Samba-Panza was the mayor of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, before serving as the country's interim president.1

She assumed the presidency during a period of severe instability and humanitarian crisis following the resignation of interim leader Michel Djotodia and Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye in January 2014. Regional leaders, frustrated by the interim government's inability to restore order amidst escalating sectarian violence, pressured the leadership to step down. Following these resignations, the country's transitional council elected Samba-Panza to lead the nation, and she was inaugurated on January 23, 2014.1