A delegation of senior military officers led by the Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda Defence Forces, Gen Patrick Nyamvumba, on Tuesday concluded a two-day working visit to Central Africa Republic where they held talks with senior leaders of the country, including the President. According to a statement, Nyamvumba on Tuesday met with President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who appreciated the role played by Rwandan peacekeepers to restore peace in the restive Central African country. “The President thanked the CDS for the commitment and discipline of Rwandan peacekeepers under MINUSCA towards restoring peace and security in CAR which he said is “highly appreciated” by the people of the Central African Republic,” reads part of a statement from RDF. MINUSCA is the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic to which Rwanda contributes peacekeepers in the military and police components. During the visit to the MINUSCA headquarters, the RDF delegation was welcomed by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), Parfait Onanga Anyanga, together with Brig Gen Daniel Sadiki Traore, the MINUSCA Deputy Force Commander and Brig Gen Ngaifei Ludovic, the CAR Chief of Defence Forces. During a bilateral meeting, Anyanga briefed the delegation on the country’s political and security situation in general and challenges caused by the armed groups operating in Central African Republic, according to the statement. Addressing the MINUSCA bosses, Nyamvumba said; “We are committed to restore peace and security in CAR and, in that regard, we have just arrived with the Infantry Battle Group to reinforce MINUSCA’s capability”. Rwanda last week deployed a battalion of Mechanised Infantry Battle Group to MONUSCA, a highly versatile and mobile mechanised infantry unit that was drawn from different components of the Rwanda Defence Forces. Currently, RDF maintains three units (one infantry battalion, a Mechanised Infantry Battle Group and a Level Two Hospital), totaling 1,418 peacekeepers, in CAR. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
