The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) continues to train Central African Republic (CAR) soldiers, with more than 600 graduating in the latest batch.
The Rwandan Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the 634 new soldiers, including 55 women, were on 5 August enrolled in the Central African Republic Armed Forces (FACA) after completing seven months of basic military training. The new soldiers were trained by the Rwanda Defence Force in collaboration with FACA, after 512 graduated in a first batch in November 2023.
The 5 August pass-out ceremony took place at Camp Kassaï military Barrack, Bangui city, and was presided over by Prof Faustin Archange Touadera, the President of Central African Republic, and was attended by Major General Vicent Nyakarundi, the RDF Army Chief of Staff.
Touadera expressed his appreciation for the successful military partnership between Rwanda and the Central African Republic, and thanked Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the RDF for their support.
“This graduation marks the second battalion trained by military instructors from the Rwanda Defence Force, with the ultimate objective of preventing the activities of the enemies of peace,” said the Chief of General Staff of the Central African Armed Forces, Major General Zephlin Mamadou. “I have no doubt that the skills acquired during this course will help in protecting the country and its people.”
During his speech, the RDF Army Chief of Staff, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi, stated that the Basic Military Training programme is the fruit of the initiative of the two Heads of State and aims to train professional soldiers with the skills, techniques, and knowledge required to operate effectively in peacetime and wartime.
The graduation ceremony was marked by demonstrating various skills acquired over the past seven months, which involved firing skills, map reading, and martial arts.
The RDF released photographs showing CAR soldiers wearing the badge and beret of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) that were first seen in February, when the FACA announced that the new unit had become operational.
The RDF appear to have equipped the troops with ballistic helmet and bulletproof vests as well as Chinese-made Type 81-1 assault rifles.
Rwandan troops first deployed to the CAR in January 2014. Rwanda now has more than 2 000 soldiers serving in the CAR under the United Nations peacekeeping mission. It also maintains more than 1 000 soldiers in the CAR under a separate bilateral agreement since December 2020.
While Rwanda has earned gratitude for supplying the largest contingents of peacekeepers to the United Nations missions in the CAR and South Sudan, some see Rwanda’s military adventures as being about more than bolstering regional security. Alongside the Rwandan blue helmets in the CAR, for instance, another Rwandan detachment is, according to the International Crisis Group and others, ‘helping strengthen CAR’s institutions while securing mining concessions and land for agricultural projects.’
