634 NEW CENTRAL AFRICAN SOLDIERS TRAINED BY RDF GRADUATE

Bangui, 05 August 2024

Today, 634 new soldiers, including 55 females, were 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.

The pass-out ceremony that took place at Camp Kassaï military Barrack, Bangui city was presided over by H.E Prof Faustin Archange Touadera, the President of Central African Republic, and was attended by Maj Gen Vicent Nyakarundi, the RDF Army Chief of Staff.

While addressing the media, the President of the Central African Republic, H.E Prof Faustin Archange Touadera, expressed his appreciation for the successful military partnership between Rwanda and the Central African Republic.

He specifically,, thanked H.E. Paul KAGAME and Rwanda Defence Force leadership for unwavering support, and acknowledged the positive outcomes of the collaboration, recalling the recent pass out of trained young soldiers currently serving in FACA. He further stressed that some FACA soldiers are trained in Rwanda and others in CAR. 

The Chief of General Staff of the Central African Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Zephlin Mamadou stated that the new soldiers are welcome to join their colleagues who graduated last year to protect the national territorial integrity. He expressed gratitude to H.E. Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, for the unconditional military cooperation between Rwanda and CAR, which has yielded positive results.

“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. "I have no doubt that the skills acquired during this course will help in protecting the country and its people." Said the General Chief of Staff (FACA).

During his speech, the RDF Army Chief of Staff, Maj Gen  Vincent NYAKARUNDI, stated that this 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.