By RFPosted on 08-07-2019Modified on 08-07-2019 at 01:00
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, is traveling in the Central African Republic this Monday, July 8th. A short one-day visit during which France will take over from Portugal at the head of the EUTM, the European body training FACA and advice on defense and security to the authorities. Portuguese Defense Minister João Gomes Cravinho will also be present. The Portuguese general Maio officially passes the relay to France after a year and a half at the head of the EUTM.
It is General Peltier who officially takes over this Monday for a period of 6 months renewable. After the handover, Florence Parly will meet President Faustin-Archange Touadéra at the Renaissance Palace. There should be talk of bilateral Franco-Central African cooperation, but also of the momentum that France will give to the EUTM . Today, in charge of training the FACA, it could be a question of extending its mission of support to the internal security forces.
France is once again on the front of the stage. Its military presence in the country is today limited to a few hundred men. In the context of bilateral cooperation, France has recently delivered 1,400 assault rifles to the Central African army.
A strategic transfer for Minister Parly in a particular context. Russia, which has 175 trainers in the country, also wants to play its role. It also conducts so-called complementary training courses at Berengo, which is not without cringe some actors in the field who denounce " the lack of coherence " in the learning delivered.
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Federica Mogherini is expected in the Central African capital this weekend.
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