More than 600 members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) have completed military training conducted by instructors from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), further strengthening military cooperation between Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
A total of 566 newly recruited soldiers formally joined FACA on August 10, 2026, after successfully completing six months of basic military training.
Another 104 personnel, including senior non-commissioned officers, completed four months of career training.
The graduation ceremony was held at Camp Kassaï in Bangui and was presided over by Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
It was attended by RDF Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Vincent Nyakarundi, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Central African Republic Olivier Kayumba, senior government officials and defence attachés accredited to the country.
The training programmes were delivered by RDF instructors in collaboration with FACA and formed part of the military cooperation between the two countries.
FACA Chief of General Staff Gen. Zéphirin Mamadou welcomed the newly trained soldiers and said they would join their fellow servicemen and women in protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
He thanked President Paul Kagame for Rwanda’s military cooperation with the Central African Republic, saying the partnership had produced positive results.
“This graduation marks the completion of the fifth intake of training provided by Rwanda Defence Force instructors, with the ultimate objective of preventing activities that threaten peace. I have no doubt that the skills acquired during this training will contribute to protecting the country and its people,” Mamadou said.
Maj. Gen. Nyakarundi said the graduation reflected the dedication, discipline and commitment demonstrated by the trainees throughout their training.
He said the graduates had shown their readiness to serve professionally and uphold the values and responsibilities entrusted to them as members of the armed forces.
Nyakarundi added that the training had equipped the personnel with the skills and knowledge required to effectively perform their duties.
The training was conducted under the longstanding relationship between RDF and FACA, which includes bilateral military cooperation and joint efforts in peacekeeping.
