The governments of two neighboring countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR), signed a defense cooperation agreement, South African media SABC reported.
The agreement provides for the DRC assistance in efforts to rebuild the CAR army and is also intended to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in order to effectively counter common security challenges in the region and establish peace and security there, according to the media.
The CAR Minister of National Defense and Army Reconstruction, Claude Rameaux Bireau, stated that his country will not serve as a base for any force seeking to destabilize the DRC. He also announced that the CAR is modernizing its army to become a professional force dedicated to protecting the country's sovereignty.