The Central African Republic's prime minister, Henri-Marie Dondra, has been sacked and replaced by his economy minister in the poor, unstable country, the presidency spokesman said Monday.

"The prime minister was fired, and Felix Moloua was appointed," spokesman Albert Yaloke Mokpeme told AFP. 

Dondra, who had headed the government of the conflict-wracked country for eight months, confirmed to AFP by telephone that he had resigned, adding that "a new (prime minister) has just been appointed."

A civil war broke out in the former French colony in 2013, pitting myriad militias against a state on the verge of collapse.

The fighting had lessened considerably in recent years, but about a year ago, fighting resumed abruptly when rebels launched a failed offensive to overthrow President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

An online news website, Africa Intelligence, reported Friday that Dondra had "tendered his resignation" to Touadera, who was attending an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. 

Neither Dondra, nor the president's office, contacted by AFP, would confirm or deny the report.

Mokpeme told AFP on Monday that the president wished to "clarify the situation, to end flights of fancy and confusion by signing a decree ending the mission of the former prime minister before signing a second decree naming Felix Moloua."