The freshly elected president of Central African Republic on Monday appointed a little-known African Development Bank (ADB) agronomist as prime minister. A presidential statement read out on state media said Elie Dote, 57, had been named head of government after coup leader Francois Bozize won presidential elections last month to end two years of military rule in the impoverished country, Reuters reported. The appointment surprised many observers. Dote is little known, having lived abroad for several years. Bozize seized power in 2003 but then sought to legitimise his rise to power through the ballot box. Since independence from France, Central Africans have endured coups, mutinies and brutal dictatorships which have hamstrung economic development.
