A total of 566 newly recruited soldiers have joined the Central African Republic Armed Forces (FACA) after completing six months of basic military training provided by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).
Another 104 personnel, including non-commissioned officers, have completed four months of specialized training related to their duties. The training was conducted by RDF instructors in collaboration with FACA.
The ceremony was also attended by the Commander of the Rwanda Defence Force Land Forces, Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Kayumba Olivier, senior government officials, and military attachés representing various countries in the Central African Republic.
The Chief of Defence Staff of the Central African Republic, Gen. Zéphirin Mamadou, welcomed the newly trained soldiers, saying they would join their colleagues in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
Gen. Mamadou commended President Paul Kagame for Rwanda’s military cooperation with the Central African Republic, saying it has produced positive results.
“This ceremony marks the completion of the fifth cohort of training provided by instructors from the Rwanda Defence Force, primarily aimed at preventing activities by those who threaten peace. There is no doubt that the knowledge you have acquired during this training will contribute to protecting the country and its people,” he said.
Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi said the graduation demonstrates the commitment, discipline and dedication displayed by the trainees throughout the training period.
He added that it shows they are prepared to serve their country professionally and uphold the values and responsibilities entrusted to them as soldiers, with sufficient knowledge to perform their duties effectively.
The training was conducted within the framework of the strong relationship between the RDF and FACA, reflected in military cooperation between the two countries and joint peacekeeping efforts.
Since 2020, Rwanda has deployed troops in the Central African Republic under a bilateral agreement to jointly combat armed groups that threaten the security of civilians.
Following the positive results of this cooperation, Rwanda has committed to supporting the Central African Republic in building the capacity of its armed forces so they can effectively fulfil their responsibilities and become increasingly professional.
In November 2025, Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence announced that the RDF had trained 2,409 junior soldiers and 300 non-commissioned officers from the Central African Republic.
