On Friday, the Prime Minister will make a third visit to the Portuguese army in the Central African Republic (CAR) – an external mission of the National Armed Forces, within the framework of the United Nations, which is considered to be very complex in terms of security.
António Costa visited CAR’s capital, in Bangui, for the first time in 2017 and returned in December 2021, before Christmas, after a visit to São Tomé and Príncipe. This time, António Costa will leave Lisbon today, at the end of the afternoon, accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Helena Carreiras.
In Bangui, where he is expected to stay for about six hours, the leader of the Portuguese executive will be received at the airport by CAR Prime Minister Félix Moloua before meeting with the head of state, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, at the airport. presidential palace, to meet with Portuguese soldiers on a mission in this country.
According to information released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMGFA), Portugal has the 12th Detached National Force in the Central African Republic, which consists of 215 soldiers.
This force, composed mainly of special army paratroopers, is part of the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Mission for the Stabilization of the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), in which Portugal has been participating since 2017.
The Portuguese contingent also includes soldiers from other army units, whose mission is to strengthen the operational capability of paratroopers, a soldier from the Portuguese Navy and three soldiers from the Portuguese Air Force, forming a tactical air control team.
In several public speeches, Army Chief of Staff General José Nunes da Fonseca stressed that the achievement was “repeatedly regarded as relevant – and even exemplary – by the highest Central African authorities, as well as by the most prominent representatives of the nations. , the European Union and other international bodies”.
In addition to security missions, the Portuguese army delivered 470 clothing sets to children last October, as well as books and toys. An operation that aimed “to improve the living conditions of children, to convey confidence and joy and to reiterate the support of the Portuguese Rapid Reaction Force to the people of CAR”.
Internally, the most controversial case with this Forces mission occurred on November 8, 2021, when the PJ executed 100 search warrants and made 11 arrests, including military personnel, a lawyer, a PSP agent and a GNR guard. , following suspicions of trafficking diamonds, gold and drugs from RCA.
For the Prime Minister, this “unfortunate” case has not tarnished the image of the Portuguese military and security forces present in forces in different parts of the world. He even claimed that Portugal’s performance has been “cited as an example” in this case.
“Obviously an example of an unfortunate story, arising from the existence of evidence of a criminal practice. But the response given by the state and authorities is considered an example of action to be taken in circumstances of this nature “, he said. advocated.
Politically and diplomatically, the United Nations (UN) Security Council recently extended the mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for one year, until November 15, 2023.
CAR descended into chaos and violence in 2013, following the overthrow of former president François Bozizé by armed groups uniting in the Séléka, which was met with opposition from other militias grouped under the anti-Balaka designation.
Since then, the Central African territory has been the scene of clashes between these groups, which have already forced more than a quarter of CAR’s 4.7 million inhabitants to leave their homes.
Last October, the last 130 soldiers of the French logistics mission left CAR after 62 years of continuous presence. France accuses Bangui authorities of having ties to the private group of Russian mercenaries, Wagner, associated with President Vladimir Putin.
France suspended its military cooperation agreement with the Central African Republic in April 2021 and the European Union froze its military training missions supported by the logistics mission, which also supports military personnel deployed in the UN mission (MINUSCA) and with the EU training mission in December 2021.
In addition to the deterioration of political and diplomatic conditions, there is also an increasing deterioration in the security field. In October, the United Nations reported that three Bangladeshi “blue helmets” had died as a result of an explosive device detonating in Kaita.
A UN investigation is currently underway into a massacre that killed dozens of civilians between January 16 and 17 last year, following an alleged joint operation by the country’s armed forces and mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group.
These episodes have provoked criticism of the presence of national troops in the CAR, but António Costa rejects them.
“Portugal is part of the United Nations and we want to be active partners. With a Portuguese Secretary General [António Guterres]we even have an additional obligation to be active partners of the United Nations – we always have been and we will be,” the prime minister told the Lusa agency in December 2021.
And he added: “It is a high-risk mission and that is why I have made it a point to return here, together with our armed forces and security forces. And I would like to point out that the President of the Republic [Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa] also visited the troops in CAR”.
According to the EMGFA, in 2022 the Armed Forces deployed 2,427 soldiers to 29 international missions, most of which took place within the framework of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
Last year, with soldiers and resources from the Navy, Army and Air Force, “under the operational command of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Portugal was present on 29 missions in countries on the African, American, Asian and European continents, in which 2,427 soldiers, 89 tactical vehicles, nine ships and eight aircraft were involved”.
Source: DN
