As my regular readers know, I am passionate about Africa. Its beauty and tranquility are immeasurable, but so is the painful scourge of war and ethnic violence that has swept the continent.

There is no question that the world has a moral obligation to assist Africa transcend war and the HIV/AIDS epidemic towards peace and prosperity. Often I debate whether I should share another African horror story, fearing that my readers might become overwhelmed with hopelessness. On the other hand, I know that only through knowledge will we finally come to terms with the tragedy unfolding in Africa.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is yet one more failed state on the continent. The country has consistently ranked among the 10 poorest nations in the world. The mid-African nation is about the size of Texas. At least 10 percent of its land is covered with tropical rain forest filled with unique species. In reality, given that it’s located in the center of Africa, it has never known stability throughout its history. They country was invaded by slave traders from the North, exploited horribly by the French and left with no infrastructure upon independence.

The Economist, which publishes some of the most comprehensive coverage of African issues, recently put the spotlight on The Central African Republic as the newest member of the “failed state club” in Africa. It reports:

"WITH more than its fair share of rebels, refugees and mercenaries, the Central African Republic (CAR) has nonetheless been overshadowed by its bigger neighbours—Chad, Congo and Sudan—whose tribulations have hitherto been much harsher. But the CAR's unhappy turn in the spotlight may come soon. A rebellion in the north has caused a humanitarian crisis. European Union troops under French command, part of a larger EU force to be deployed mainly in Chad, are due to arrive soon to try to prevent violence spreading from Sudan's ravaged western province of Darfur into the CAR.

The new interest has also brought some unflattering scrutiny. The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based lobby, says that the CAR has dropped below the level even of a failed state. “It has become virtually a phantom state, lacking any meaningful institutional capacity at least since the fall of Emperor [Jean-Bédel] Bokassa in 1979,” it says.

That the self-proclaimed emperor, who was rumoured to eat opponents, is remembered fondly by some people in the CAR shows just how far the country has fallen. When the French, who ran the place until 1960, decided that their long-time protégé had become a liability, they helped to oust him. That did not bring stability. The CAR has suffered no fewer than 11 mutinies or attempted"

The center of Africa is rapidly disintegrating into chaos. From Somalia to Darfur to the Central African Republic, we are seeing the collapse of the nation state. Robert Kaplan, in his book The Coming Anarchy, warned us of this trend. He also predicted that failed states would become breeding grounds for terrorism, as economically and socially depressed populations become susceptible to violent ideologies. Unfortunately, this prescient warning seems to have gone unheeded once again as the Central African Republic’s institutions fail and its 4 million citizens fall deeper into poverty.

When will the United States have a comprehensive African policy?