Russia Can Help Central African Republic Boost Its Military Power, Parliament Speaker Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Central African Republic National Assembly head, Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, told Sputnik that Russia could help strengthen the potential of the CAR's security forces by providing personnel, technical resources and weapons.

"We would like the potential of our military, police and gendarmes to be strengthened because Russia can provide these units with personnel, material and technical resources, weapons. Why not? We need plenty of weapons. In addition, we need a large number of vehicles, everything... So that the CAR army will be strong and powerful to protect the civilian population", Sarandji said.

Sarandji welcomed Russia's and other countries' determination to advocate for the complete lifting of the arms delivery embargo in the CAR. The official also expressed gratitude on behalf of the country's leadership to the Russian military for their contribution to the stabilisation of the security situation in the republic.

The United Nations Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the CAR in 2013 which remains in force until 31 July 2022, in response to law and human rights violations widely observed in the CAR.

Des combattats séléka en Centrafrique

© AP Photo / Jerome Delay

On 8 December Sarandji met with Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin where the officials discussed the development of inter-parliamentary relations, as well as cooperation between the two countries in the economy, culture and education. The CAR national assembly speaker told Sputnik he offered to his Russian counterpart to strengthen cooperation between the two countries' legislatures.