Photographer Kelly Fajack's image of school kids in Burundi was used on the back of the Burundian 10,000 franc note.

The franc was introduced at par with the French franc.

The Batwa minority remains marginalized within the Burundian society.

Decolonizing the Franc Zone

The franc is the currency of French Polynesia.

Another devaluation of the CFA franc today might deflate France s debts to the franc zone and boost its African based export industries, but it would worsen the franc zone countries miseries.

Determined to undertake a comprehensive review of the root causes of the conflict in Burundi,

Even Switzerland is intervening to weaken the franc.

History The franc became the currency of Burundi in 1916, when Belgium occupied the former Germany colony and replaced the German East African rupie with the Belgian Congo franc.

History The franc became the currency of Rwanda in 1916, when Belgium occupied the previously German colony and the Belgian Congo franc replaced the German East African rupie.

The failure of the Burundian army to intervene during the massacre raises doubts that the investigators have been unable to resolve.

Since 1945, it has been part of the CFP franc.

Both the President and the Foreign Minister called for additional support for the integration process of the Burundian army.

But the franc zone countries did not fare nearly so well.

Now he considers it the best currency in the world.

The franc zone s plight is being compounded by distorted and dysfunctional economic and monetary policies.

Swiss Francs by Flickr user Jim (CC BY NC SA 2.0).

In 1999, the Euro was introduced to replace the French franc.

The Council calls on all parties to respect the will of the Burundian people, the elected Government and the commitments agreed during the transitional process.

The franc zone is, in fact, an appendage of the French economy.

More appalling is the fact that France guarantees the CFA franc s free convertibility into hard currency, originally on the condition that all 15 Franc Zone countries surrender 100 of their foreign reserves to the French Treasury.

This gap should encourage the franc zone s member countries to reject their relationship with France.

The CFA franc issued by two sub regional central banks (BCEAO and BEAC) are not interchangeable.

It was the largest plunge of the franc ever against the euro.

On January 1, 2008, the franc was valued at 1,129.40 per US dollar.

It is responsible for Swiss monetary policy and for issuing Swiss franc banknotes.

From the end of World War II until the adoption of the euro, France devalued its own franc 14 times in order to bolster competiveness and exports, with the CFA franc devalued along with it each time.

The second way implies a thorough overhaul of the system. This would entail pegging the CFA franc not only to the euro, but also to a basket of other currencies, abolishing the fixed exchange rate and the CFA franc s convertibility, and fast tracking economic integration.

Only during the period when Burundi used the Belgian Congo franc were centime coins issued.

But France s woes are also being felt far beyond its borders, sparking rumors of a possible devaluation of the CFA franc, the common currency of the franc zone, which comprises 14 African countries and the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean.

The Security Council pays tribute to the spirit of peace and dialogue demonstrated by the Burundian people throughout the transitional period, and commends them for their encouraging participation in the electoral process.

Further welcomes the election of Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza as President of the Republic of Burundi and the establishment of new institutions, based on the principles defined beforehand by the Burundian Constitution.

France may not like it, but the best interests of the franc zone s citizens should come first.

The CFA franc was sharply devalued in 1994, and outstanding debts were reduced.

There is no easy answer. But it is time for the franc zone s two leading regional groupings the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community to begin playing a decisive role in overhauling the franc zone s architecture.

On the monetary front, the CFA Franc Zone s member countries dismantled the federal structure that united them during French occupation and erected trade barriers instead. The CFA franc issued by two sub regional central banks (BCEAO and BEAC) are not interchangeable.

It is time for franc zone leaders to break the cycle and chart effective national development strategies for their countries.

In the late summer of 1931, the dollar, alongside the French franc, appeared to be the strongest currency in the international system.

The Swiss franc has increased more than 40 against the dollar and therefore more than 30 against the renminbi.

First, franc zone countries could issue their own currencies a radical approach that would face serious obstacles.

The independent expert encourages the international community to increase its support for the Burundian justice system, in particular regarding the truth and reconciliation process which is expected to be engaged in the coming months.

On the monetary front, the CFA Franc Zone s member countries dismantled the federal structure that united them during French occupation and erected trade barriers instead.

The assessment mission recommended the establishment of a twin mechanism a non judicial accountability mechanism in the form of a truth commission and a judicial accountability mechanism in the form of a special chamber within the court system of Burundi.

American Congressmen view the Chinese as archetypal currency manipulators, but the Swiss have introduced a firm cap on the franc s appreciation.

Second tier currencies, like the Swiss franc, the Canadian dollar, and the Australian dollar, are only a slightly larger midget when combined.