Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Vincent Biruta on Tuesday, October 24, visited Rwandan troops deployed under a bilateral arrangement with the Central African Republic (CAR) and those serving under the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSCA), in Bangui. Biruta was accompanied by NISS Secretary General Maj Gen Joseph Nzabamwita and the Head of the Rwandan diplomatic mission in CAR, Olivier Kayumba. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Vincent Biruta visits Rwandan Troops in Bangui, Central African Republic. https://t.co/b5NJtttRn8 pic.twitter.com/LBRnqNU4f4 — Rwanda Defence Force (@RwandaMoD) October 24, 2023 The focus of the visit was to inspect the operational readiness of Rwandan troops and to deliver a message of gratitude for work done from President Paul Kagame, the Commander in Chief of Rwanda Defence Force, according to a statement by the RDF on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Gen Kabarebe in CAR, meets Rwandan peacekeepers In Bangui, Camp Kassai, Biruta and Nzabamwita also met with the CAR Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Planning, Brig Gen Arcadius Betibangui and discussed ongoing training cooperation between RDF and CAR armed forces. ALSO READ: President Kagame sheds light on troop deployments in CAR Rwanda has a big peacekeeping contingent serving under MINUSCA, and force protection troops - trained to conduct special operations - that Kigali deployed to the country in December 2020 under a bilateral agreement on defence. In August 2021, Rwanda and the Central African Republic signed four bilateral agreements during President Faustin-Archange Touadéra's state visit to Rwanda. ALSO READ: Rwanda, CAR sign four bilateral agreements The four pacts included a Memorandum of Understanding to support a strategy for security sector reforms. ALSO READ: We count on Rwandan peacekeepers - UN Force Commander in Central African Republic In 2020, Rwanda deployed “force protection troops” to the Central African Republic, under a bilateral agreement on defence. At the time, officials said, the deployment was in response to the targeting of the Rwandan contingent under the UN Peacekeeping mission in CAR by rebels loyal to former President François Bozize. In March, Bozizé who was, among others, accused of trying to sabotage the December 27, 2020 election process in the country, after he was not permitted to stand for election, went into exile in Guinea-Bissau. ALSO READ: Former CAR President Bozizé flees to Guinea-Bissau As reported at the time, Bozizé, the leader of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) which was formed by several armed groups in December 2020 – landed in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, on March 2, aboard a special flight from Chad, where he had been hiding since 2021.
