CAR Seeks Russian Energy Support After Security Partnership

The Central African Republic’s leadership is seeking deeper cooperation with Russia to address severe energy shortages.

CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and credited Russia’s security support with helping stabilize the country ahead of elections that returned him to power for a new seven-year term in December.

Touadera told Putin that Russian assistance had been central to stabilizing the country. At the start of their meeting.

Today, the Central African Republic faces a major challenge in the field of energy, and the Russian Federation has a great deal of expertise in these matters.

CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera

Russia’s security role in the Central African Republic has expanded in recent years. The Africa Corps, a Russian paramilitary structure that replaced the Wagner mercenary group, now operates in several African countries including Mali, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic.

Touadera credited this presence with helping secure the December election, which returned him to power for another 7-year presidential term. He also thanked Moscow for providing humanitarian assistance, including donations of Russian grain and fuel.

Western governments have expressed concern about Russia’s expanding influence in Africa, particularly as it coincides with the declining security presence of France and the United States in several parts of the continent.

Putin emphasized that the bilateral relationship could expand further. According to statements from the meeting, he said the two countries have good prospects to strengthen cooperation in energy, agriculture and infrastructure.

Energy shortages remain a major constraint for the Central African Republic, one of the world’s most fragile states.

Touadera framed the issue as a priority for cooperation with Moscow, arguing that Russia’s technical expertise could help address electricity and fuel supply challenges.

The request reflects Moscow’s broader strategy to deepen ties with developing countries after its diplomatic rupture with much of the West following the war in Ukraine.

Russia has increasingly focused on economic partnerships, security assistance and infrastructure projects across Africa as part of this effort.

Russia’s growing footprint in the Central African Republic has also drawn scrutiny over natural resource exploitation. Russian-linked actors, including Wagner-related networks, seized control of several gold and diamond mines in the country.

These accusations have added a layer of controversy to Russia’s role in the country, where security assistance and resource interests often overlap.

Russia’s expanding influence in Africa also relies on long-standing educational and political networks. According to a January 2025 report by The Washington Post, former African students who studied in the Soviet Union and Russia play an important role in building diplomatic and economic partnerships with Moscow.

Many of these alumni now hold influential positions in business, medicine and engineering across the continent. Their networks have helped support Russia’s outreach efforts in countries seeking alternatives to Western partnerships.

The strategy echoes Soviet-era policies from the Cold War, when Moscow offered scholarships to thousands of African students as part of its geopolitical engagement.

Organizations such as La Maison Russe now help prepare young African students to study in Russia and build long-term institutional links. In countries like Burkina Faso, student groups and alumni networks organize exchanges and public events aimed at strengthening ties with Moscow.