Europe-Africa Cooperation

The Central African Republic issued a gold-foil airmail and seven souvenir sheets at Bangui on 4 November 1980, lettered COOPERATION EUROPE-AFRIQUE. Jean-Louis Puvilland designed the issue. The six lower sheets are offset lithography, in both comb 13½ and imperforate printings; the 1500-franc airmail is lithographed, hot-stamped and embossed. The 1500-franc stamp was issued in panes of four.

Each of the six sheets carries one stamp at the left and, in the margin, two Scouts — one African, one European — dancing before a magenta map of Africa, lettered COOPERATION and EUROPE-AFRIQUE. The stamps show agriculture (30 francs), industry (40 francs), technicians at communications equipment (70 francs), an Ariane-type rocket (100 francs), a satellite over the Earth (150 francs), and a technician with a spacecraft, lettered CONQUÊTE DE L'ESPACE and POSTE AÉRIENNE (200 francs).

The 1500-franc airmail, lettered POSTE AÉRIENNE and COOPÉRATION EUROPE AFRIQUE, shows the same two Scouts beside a three-finger salute over a map of Africa. Its souvenir sheet repeats that design, the stamp lettered BOY-SCOUTS, and adds a margin with a hard-hatted worker, buildings and an Ariane-type rocket.