Touadera thanks Moscow for cooperation, doesn't rule out purchase of Russian weapons

ISTANBUL 

Central African Republic (CAR) President Faustin-Archange Touadera on Wednesday expressed desire to open a drone training center jointly with Russia.

In an interview with Russian state news agency Tass, Touadera said that cooperation between the CAR and Russia dates back to the 1960s, but noted it has “significantly deepened and strengthened” in recent years.

“We are sincerely grateful to the Russian Federation for this," Touadera said in remarks published Wednesday morning, expressing that their cooperation also includes the training of the country’s defense and security forces.

Touadera defined the bilateral military-technical cooperation as “strategic in nature,” and stated that the work of Russian military instructors in the CAR is progressing “successfully and productively.”

He further said that the issue of increasing the number of Russian military instructors in his country is a “very specific and sensitive” question in the context of bilateral cooperation, but confirmed negotiations are taking place with Russia on the topic.

He added that the CAR seeks to create a professional army, and that they, consequently, must prepare for “any type of attack,” due to which they must adapt their forces to “existing threats.”

“Today, we clearly see that drones have become a widely used weapon, and the Central African army is preparing both for their use and for defense against them. We would be very happy to train our troops to pilot drones, receive the necessary equipment, or even establish their production for our army's needs,” Touadera said.

He confirmed a desire to open a drone training center in the CAR jointly with Moscow, while also not ruling out the purchase of Russian weapons.

“Of course, this depends on the resources available to the state, as well as on our cooperation with the Russian Federation,” he added.

With regards to relations with France, Touadera said that while their ties were “quite tense,” he and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron made personal efforts to develop a roadmap, allowing them to establish “clear rules and improve cooperation.”

“In many areas, relations are now developing successfully, with full respect for our sovereignty. But even if we face difficulties, we will always defend our sovereignty and make decisions in the interests of the Central African Republic,” he stated.

Touadera’s remarks come as he won a third term as CAR president, according to provisional results Monday from the National Electoral Authority. Touadera got 76.15% of the vote in last month's elections, the results showed. Anadolu Agency