Two U.S. lawmakers, Bill Huizenga and Dan Meuser, have introduced a bill that could prevent the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from providing support to some Central African nations. The aim is to safeguard the significant amounts of money that oil companies are required to reserve for environmental restoration. The legislation is a response to new regulations by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), which mandate international oil companies (IOCs) to deposit these funds into BEAC-controlled accounts. These funds, totaling between 3 to 6 trillion CFA francs (around $5 billion to $10 billion) held in foreign banks, are earmarked for future environmental cleanup post-production. Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) member countries seek to transfer these funds to regional institutions to strengthen their economies and foreign reserves. The move is supported by the IMF and was approved during an emergency summit of CEMAC heads of state in Yaounde in December 2024. The implementation, scheduled for May 1 in compliance with the summit's decisions, includes penalties of up to 150% of the restoration funds for non-compliance. BEAC also proposes increasing rates for repatriating other funds to the region, such as operational expenses of extractive companies, which currently stand at 35%. Perenco, a French oil company operating in the region, confirmed negotiations with regional authorities to meet the requirements before the April 30 deadline. Equatorial Guinea's finance ministry has engaged with major oil operators like Marathon Oil, Chevron, Kosmos Energy, and Vaalco Energy on the matter. The six CEMAC member countries jointly manage monetary policy, currency, and the BEAC central bank.