African Union Commissioner Praises Russia's Defense Aid To CAR For Promoting Stability

The African Union lauded Russia's defense contribution to the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) for promoting stability in the crisis-torn country, the Union's Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2018) The African Union lauded Russia's defense contribution to the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) for promoting stability in the crisis-torn country, the Union's Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, told Sputnik.

"The Russian Federation responded to the legitimate government in providing support, and they have done it in a very transparent way through the [UN] Security Council, and I think this is a very good contribution to the stability of the country, and also giving pride to the national army of the car to have armaments so they can perform their duties in terms of stability and security of the country," Chergui said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in late October it intended to keep helping the CAR in rebuilding its national armed forces.

The ministry said that, in early 2018, Moscow supplied the CAR army with a batch of small arms and ammunition while sending 175 military advisers to train CAR servicemen. The ministry added that Moscow would send 60 more military advisers and a second batch of military supplies to the African country, and stressed that all such assistance programs were being carried out in compliance with the UNSC sanctions regime.

The CAR has been destabilized for years by the conflict involving the mainly Muslim armed group Seleka, Christian Anti-balaka militias and the government. In late August, ex-Seleka and Anti-balaka signed a declaration of understanding after a Russia-brokered peace meeting in Khartoum.

The Russia-mediated talks in Khartoum complemented those in the CAR town of Bouar, held under the aegis of the African Union.