INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The president of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, arrived in Moscow for talks on strengthening his country's
partnership with Russia, the Kremlin said Wednesday.Moscow has close ties with the former French colony, deploying hundreds of military
"instructors" to support Touadera's administration as it battles warring rebel factions.As part of the three-day visit, Touadera will meet
with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss the "further development of bilateral cooperation," the Kremlin said.Moscow has
sought to expand its influence in Africa in recent years, offering security support to embattled leaders and kindling anti-Western
sentiment.The Central African Republic, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been plagued by civil war for over a
decade.Mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group have supported government forces in the landlocked state since 2018, with Moscow also
training thousands of local troops.A bronze monument glorifying Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late head of the Wagner group, was unveiled in the
republic's capital Bangui last month.
