CAR president pledges closer ties with Russia

Security cooperation was the focus of the recent meeting between Presidents Faustin-Archange Touadéra and Vladimir Putin.

During his visit to Moscow, the Central African head of state called for a strengthening of strategic partnerships between Bangui and the Kremlin in several key sectors, including energy. Bangui is experiencing fuel shortages and, according to its president, has been able to count on Russian donations to mitigate the crisis.

"This new 7-year mandate gives us the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation, already in the field of security, but also for the issues you mentioned, including the economy and other aspects: education, humanitarian issues and others," said Touadera in a meeting with Putin.

Since 2018, Bangui has forged closer ties with Moscow, with the later providing security and economic assistance. For Moscow, Bangui is a strategic foothold in Central Africa.

The visit to Russia is Touadera's first since winning a new term as president at the end of 2025.