Historical Sketch

Two weeks after independence of Congo-Kinshasa (Léopoldville) in mid-1960, the southern province of Katanga seceded and unilaterally declared its own independence. The move was not recognized internationally, and United Nations troops were deployed to support the Congolese forces. The civil war went on for two and a half years until the secession collapsed in January 1963.

Monetary History Overview

Within a few weeks after Katanga's unilateral declaration of independence, a central bank was founded, and the Katangese Franc was created as the national currency. It retained parity with the Belgian Franc. In January 1963, the secession collapsed, and Katanga was reintegrated into the Congolese state. The Katangese banknotes and coins were exchanged at par until mid-1963.

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