The Rwandan forces deployed in the Central African Republic (CAR) under a UN mandate and those under a bilateral arrangement with Bangui serve the same purpose, President Paul Kagame noted on Thursday, August 5.

President Kagame noted this in Kigali while addressing a news conference together with CAR President, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who had just begun his four-day state visit to Rwanda.

His comments came a day after Rwanda started deploying an additional infantry battalion of 750 military personnel to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA). With the latest deployment, Rwanda now has three battalions and a Level 2 hospital deployed under MINUSCA.

Last December, Rwanda quickly deployed Special Forces under a bilateral arrangement on defence to bolster the Central African Republic’s armed forces.

"Both deployments serve the same purpose, differently,” Kagame said, explaining that the force protection troops deployed on December 20, 2020 came in as reinforcement of Rwanda’s UN deployments in the country.

Both Kagame and Touadéra agreed that given the situation in and around Bangui at the time, when the country was heading to a presidential election and a rebel coalition was advancing with speed intent on disrupting everything and causing mayhem, speed was of the essence.

The dimension of the bilateral arrangement, Kagame said, brought in more speed and action "than the other one.”

"There was a sense of urgency when we deployed under the bilateral arrangement. Everyone thought that if we had to wait for the other force (UN force), it might take longer to arrive than the actual need for action in terms of time,” Kagame said.

That’s why, he indicated, CAR which was under pressure of rebel groups operating and moving fast and trying to destabilise the country which was moving towards elections requested for, and was given quick support.

"They (rebels) were threatening the capital. MINUSCA was there. I am sure they didn’t want this to happen (and) that the rebels would overrun the city of Bangui and derail the elections but maybe they were still studying…”

"And we couldn’t give orders to our troops that were under the UN because they are under the command of the UN and have different rules of engagement. We were more comfortable having this arrangement and, by this, we were able to deploy forces faster and to serve the same purpose the UN was supposed to be serving.”

The UN mission’s rules of engagement were slow, the two leaders acknowledged, yet there was a problem on the ground that required immediate action.

Touadéra said: "In this urgency, you know, it’s true there are UN forces and these forces have their rules of engagement. It was urgent for us because the conflict there (in CAR) is not a conventional conflict.”

The rebels, he noted, are not like a regular army that is easily recognised and separated from the population.

"It was, therefore, necessary to reinforce our forces which were under reconstruction.”

This is why, Touadéra said, his government found it necessary to activate its means of bilateral cooperation and as such contacted the Rwandan government for support in quickly countering and repulsing the rebel advance.

The participation of Rwanda’s special forces, Touadéra noted, was critical in blocking the advance of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) rebel alliance led by former president François Bozize.

Tensions in the country rose recently after Bozizé’s candidacy for national elections was rejected last year by the country’s highest court.

The visit further strengthens the existing bilateral relations between Rwanda and CAR.

Upon arrival in Kigali, President Touadéra held a Tête-à-tête with President Paul Kagame.

The two Heads of State discussed matters of mutual interest on bilateral, regional, and international levels.

On the international scene, the Heads of State expressed their deep concern regarding the re-emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They deplored the existing challenges that Africa faces in accessing Covid-19 vaccines, and commended the African Union’s efforts to promote the production of pharmaceuticals on the continent.

Regarding security, the two Heads of State recognized the progress made in the region and called for greater regional and international mobilization efforts to combat insecurity.

President Faustin Archange Touadéra expressed his gratitude and that of the people of the Central African Republic to the people of Rwanda for their technical and operational support to the Central African Armed Forces.