Central African Armed Forces

Central African Armed Forces
Forces armées centrafricaines (FACA)
Founded1960
Service branchesGround Forces
Air Force
National Gendarmerie
Republican Guard
National Police
HeadquartersCamp Le Roux, Bangui
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefFaustin-Archange Touadéra
Minister of DefenseRameaux-Claude Bireau
Chief of the Defence StaffZéphirin Mamadou
Personnel
ConscriptionVoluntary, after the age of 18 years
Available for
military service
853,760, age 18–49 (2005 est.)
Fit for
military service
416,091, age 18–49 (2005 est.)
Reaching military
age annually
(2005 est.)
Active personnel30,000 (2022)[1]
Expenditure
Budget$25 million (2021)[1]
Percent of GDP1.4% (2018)
Industry
Foreign suppliers Brazil
 China
 India
 Indonesia
 Portugal[2]
 Russia[3]
 Singapore
 South Africa
 United States
 Vietnam
Related articles
HistoryLord's Resistance Army insurgency
Central African Republic Bush War
Central African Republic Civil War
RanksMilitary ranks of Central African Republic

The Central African Armed Forces (French: Forces armées centrafricaines; FACA) are the armed forces of the Central African Republic and have been barely functional since the outbreak of the civil war in 2012. Today they are among the world's weakest armed forces, dependent on international support to provide security in the country. In recent years the government has struggled to form a unified national army. It consists of the Ground Force (which includes the air service), the gendarmerie, and the National Police.[4]

Its disloyalty to the president came to the fore during the mutinies in 1996–1997, and since then has faced internal problems. It has been strongly criticised by human rights organisations due to terrorism, including killings, torture and sexual violence. In 2013 when militants of the Séléka rebel coalition seized power and overthrew President Bozizé they executed many FACA troops.[5]

  1. ^ a b "2021 Central African Republic Military Strength".
  2. ^ "Portugal sends military equipment to Central African Republic".
  3. ^ "C.Africa rebels rearm after military gets Russia weapons:UN panel". Archived from the original on 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  4. ^ Central African Republic – CIA World Factbook
  5. ^ "Peace and Conflict Monitor, Understanding the 2013 Coup dâétat in the Central African Republic". upeace.org. Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-31.

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