Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks with Central African Republic (CAR) leader Faustin-Archange Touadera on counter-terrorism and ensuring stability in the former French colony, where rebels have been fighting the government for decades.
During their phone conversation on Wednesday, the two leaders also assessed the state of “friendly” bilateral relations between Russia and the republic and discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in areas such as politics, trade, economics, and humanitarian efforts, the Kremlin reported.
“Russian confirmed its readiness to continue assisting the CAR in strengthening the national economy, sovereignty and security of the country. Faustin-Archange Touadera has expressed gratitude for the diverse assistance provided by Russia,” it stated.
The Putin-Touadera negotiations followed recent meetings between the Russian defense ministry and those of the Sahel states, including the CAR, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, on the sidelines of the Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum in August.
It comes at a time when the Central African Republic is preparing for parliamentary elections in 2025 and planned presidential votes in 2026 amid widespread concerns about potential disruption being launched by terrorist groups.
The African state has experienced decades of militant violence and political insecurity, including six coups, since gaining independence from France in 1960. Despite the presence of thousands of UN troops under the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) since 2014, rebel attacks against the government have persisted.
Moscow and Bangui signed a military agreement in 2018, permitting Russian military specialists to train the country’s national police and soldiers. Earlier this year, Aleksandr Bikantov, Moscow’s ambassador to Bangui, stated that there were about 1,890 Russian instructors in the landlocked state, with authorities requesting more.
In March, Bikantov announced that plans were in progress to build a Russian military base in the mineral-rich country. He stated that the defense ministries of the two nations were discussing a location for the army facility.