New money
The week's news at a glance.
Dakar, Senegal
Eight West African countries agreed this week to replace $1 billion worth of paper currency with new bills. The countries that use the franc of the African Financial Community—known by its French acronym, CFA—as their common currency have seen a wave of bank robberies and counterfeitings in the past few years. The new money will have metallic strips to deter counterfeiters, and will feature designs of African art and animals. The changeover will also have a fringe benefit: cleanliness. CFA countries haven’t put fresh bills into circulation for more than 10 years, and many of the francs are so dirty they’re slimy.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Selfies ban in art galleries: a sign of the times?
Talking Point Priceless art has been damaged by visitors desperate to take a snap with star attractions, leading some galleries and museums to start fighting back
-
Quiz of The Week: 21 – 27 June
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: How do you turn plastics into paracetamol?
Podcast Plus, what is the Wagner Group doing now? And why is it so hard to find a job after university?