The Central African Armed Forces (FACA) on Monday, August 10, 2026, formally enrolled 566 new soldiers after they successfully completed six months of basic military training.
An additional 104 personnel, including senior non-commissioned officers (NCOs), completed four months of career training. Both training programmes were conducted by instructors from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in collaboration with the FACA.
President Touadéra Presides Over Graduation
The pass-out ceremony was held at Camp Kassaï military barracks in Bangui and was presided over by Central African Republic President Prof. Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
The ceremony was attended by Maj. Gen. Vincent Nyakarundi, the RDF Army Chief of Staff; Kayumba Olivier, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Central African Republic; senior government officials; and defence attachés accredited to the Central African Republic.
FACA Chief Praises Rwanda’s Support
The Chief of General Staff of the Central African Armed Forces, Gen. Zéphirin Mamadou, welcomed the newly trained personnel and said they would join fellow soldiers in protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
He expressed gratitude to 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 by military instructors from 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 contribute to protecting the country and its people,” Gen. Mamadou said.
RDF Highlights Discipline and Commitment
The RDF Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Vincent Nyakarundi, said the pass-out ceremony demonstrated the dedication, discipline and commitment shown by the trainees throughout their training.
He added that their graduation reflected their readiness to serve professionally and uphold the values and responsibilities entrusted to them as members of the armed forces.
According to Nyakarundi, the trainees had acquired the necessary skills to perform their duties effectively.
Rwanda-CAR Military Cooperation Continues
The training was conducted within the framework of the longstanding military relationship between the RDF and FACA, which includes bilateral military cooperation and joint efforts in peacekeeping.
The latest graduation marks another step in Rwanda and the Central African Republic’s continued defence cooperation, with Rwanda contributing military instructors to support the training and professional development of FACA personnel.
