02:46The Central African Republic celebrated Independence Day with a military parade on Tuesday in Bangui to mark the 64th anniversary of the country’s proclamation of independence from France in 1960.
Footage shows CAR troops in various uniforms with numerous detachments proudly marching at the parade in the country’s capital. President Faustin-Archange Touadera can be seen attending the ceremony with other senior officials.
"This is a great joy and great emotion for all Central Africans because when the Central African Republic returned to institutional order, we continued to be kept under [UN Security Council arms] embargo. But that didn't stop President Touadera's determination, who, with great prowess and determination, was able to increase the strength of the armed forces from 8,000 when he came to power to more than 25,000 men today. All we had to do was arm these men, and I think that lifting the embargo [last month] is good news for our country," noted Presidential Communications Adviser Wilfried Sebiro.
"Our armed forces have increased in strength and been rejuvenated. It's a joy for us to celebrate this 64th anniversary, knowing that, today, we have forces throughout the country that previously lacked means, but as you saw in the rolling parade, we can be proud today of the work that has been accomplished," he concluded.
On August 8 presidential spokesperson Albert Yaloke Mokpeme announced that the armed opposition known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) and its allies 'have had to accept' that their conflict with the country’s government forces, private military groups and militias is 'a fight that is already lost'.
CPC Chief of General Staff Ali Darassa Mahamat released a statement on August 3 on the group's willingness to end hostilities and return to the negotiating table. However, on August 5 the 77-year-old former Central African Republic president and CPC general coordinator Francois Bozize dismissed Darassa, reportedly calling his statement an act of treason.
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the Central African Armed Forces in 2013 in an attempt to contain an internal conflict, after the predominantly Muslim armed coalition Seleka seized power, resulting in the predominantly Christian militias fighting back.
A civil war has gripped the country since 2013 after former president Francois Bozize was overthrown by Seleka after a decade-long rule since rising to power in a 2003 coup. In recent years, the scale of the conflict between the government and the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a militant group led by Bozize, has receded. However, the militants are believed to remain in control of many northern and eastern areas of the country.
France seized and colonised Ubangi-Shari in 1894, which included the territory of today's Central African Republic. In 1946, Barthelemy Boganda was elected as the first representative of the Central African Republic to the French government.
Boganda returned to the Central African Republic in 1950 to create the Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa (MESAN). He was elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa in a landslide election in 1957, launching the country towards its independence three years later.
'Our armed forces have increased in strength and been rejuvenated' – CAR celebrates Independence Day with military parade
The Central African Republic celebrated Independence Day with a military parade on Tuesday in Bangui to mark the 64th anniversary of the country’s proclamation of independence from France in 1960.
Footage shows CAR troops in various uniforms with numerous detachments proudly marching at the parade in the country’s capital. President Faustin-Archange Touadera can be seen attending the ceremony with other senior officials.
"This is a great joy and great emotion for all Central Africans because when the Central African Republic returned to institutional order, we continued to be kept under [UN Security Council arms] embargo. But that didn't stop President Touadera's determination, who, with great prowess and determination, was able to increase the strength of the armed forces from 8,000 when he came to power to more than 25,000 men today. All we had to do was arm these men, and I think that lifting the embargo [last month] is good news for our country," noted Presidential Communications Adviser Wilfried Sebiro.
"Our armed forces have increased in strength and been rejuvenated. It's a joy for us to celebrate this 64th anniversary, knowing that, today, we have forces throughout the country that previously lacked means, but as you saw in the rolling parade, we can be proud today of the work that has been accomplished," he concluded.
On August 8 presidential spokesperson Albert Yaloke Mokpeme announced that the armed opposition known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) and its allies 'have had to accept' that their conflict with the country’s government forces, private military groups and militias is 'a fight that is already lost'.
CPC Chief of General Staff Ali Darassa Mahamat released a statement on August 3 on the group's willingness to end hostilities and return to the negotiating table. However, on August 5 the 77-year-old former Central African Republic president and CPC general coordinator Francois Bozize dismissed Darassa, reportedly calling his statement an act of treason.
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the Central African Armed Forces in 2013 in an attempt to contain an internal conflict, after the predominantly Muslim armed coalition Seleka seized power, resulting in the predominantly Christian militias fighting back.
A civil war has gripped the country since 2013 after former president Francois Bozize was overthrown by Seleka after a decade-long rule since rising to power in a 2003 coup. In recent years, the scale of the conflict between the government and the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a militant group led by Bozize, has receded. However, the militants are believed to remain in control of many northern and eastern areas of the country.
France seized and colonised Ubangi-Shari in 1894, which included the territory of today's Central African Republic. In 1946, Barthelemy Boganda was elected as the first representative of the Central African Republic to the French government.
Boganda returned to the Central African Republic in 1950 to create the Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa (MESAN). He was elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa in a landslide election in 1957, launching the country towards its independence three years later.
The Central African Republic celebrated Independence Day with a military parade on Tuesday in Bangui to mark the 64th anniversary of the country’s proclamation of independence from France in 1960.
Footage shows CAR troops in various uniforms with numerous detachments proudly marching at the parade in the country’s capital. President Faustin-Archange Touadera can be seen attending the ceremony with other senior officials.
"This is a great joy and great emotion for all Central Africans because when the Central African Republic returned to institutional order, we continued to be kept under [UN Security Council arms] embargo. But that didn't stop President Touadera's determination, who, with great prowess and determination, was able to increase the strength of the armed forces from 8,000 when he came to power to more than 25,000 men today. All we had to do was arm these men, and I think that lifting the embargo [last month] is good news for our country," noted Presidential Communications Adviser Wilfried Sebiro.
"Our armed forces have increased in strength and been rejuvenated. It's a joy for us to celebrate this 64th anniversary, knowing that, today, we have forces throughout the country that previously lacked means, but as you saw in the rolling parade, we can be proud today of the work that has been accomplished," he concluded.
On August 8 presidential spokesperson Albert Yaloke Mokpeme announced that the armed opposition known as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) and its allies 'have had to accept' that their conflict with the country’s government forces, private military groups and militias is 'a fight that is already lost'.
CPC Chief of General Staff Ali Darassa Mahamat released a statement on August 3 on the group's willingness to end hostilities and return to the negotiating table. However, on August 5 the 77-year-old former Central African Republic president and CPC general coordinator Francois Bozize dismissed Darassa, reportedly calling his statement an act of treason.
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the Central African Armed Forces in 2013 in an attempt to contain an internal conflict, after the predominantly Muslim armed coalition Seleka seized power, resulting in the predominantly Christian militias fighting back.
A civil war has gripped the country since 2013 after former president Francois Bozize was overthrown by Seleka after a decade-long rule since rising to power in a 2003 coup. In recent years, the scale of the conflict between the government and the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a militant group led by Bozize, has receded. However, the militants are believed to remain in control of many northern and eastern areas of the country.
France seized and colonised Ubangi-Shari in 1894, which included the territory of today's Central African Republic. In 1946, Barthelemy Boganda was elected as the first representative of the Central African Republic to the French government.
Boganda returned to the Central African Republic in 1950 to create the Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa (MESAN). He was elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa in a landslide election in 1957, launching the country towards its independence three years later.