Russia has completed its second weapons transfer to the unstable nation of the Central African Republic, declared Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Thursday.
The first batch of Russian light weapons was sent to CAR in early 2018, after Moscow obtained permission from the UN Security Council sanctions committee to supply it, reported Russian state-controlled news entity Interfax.
“With the knowledge of the Security Council committee, two batches of Russian weapons have already been supplied free of charge for the needs of the CAR army,” Lavrov was quoted as saying.
“The last one came to this country this month.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reported in early September that the Russian side is cooperating on the issue of easing the arms embargo against CAR with partners in the UN Security Council, including France. “Because they help to restore order in the CAR, and we are actively working there,” Bogdanov explained, wrote Interfax.
Russia has been active in Africa building influence and securing access to minerals and other commodities, to the concern of the Trump administration.
