The Central African Armed Forces (FACA), with logistical backing from the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA, have deployed additional troops to the Vakaga region to reinforce security ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
Under the Integrated Election Security Plan (PISE), reinforcements were sent to Vakaga on 16 December 2025, with MINUSCA providing air transport to facilitate the deployment.
The Central African Republic is scheduled to hold presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections on 28 December. The municipal polls will be the first held in decades. However, human rights organisations have raised concerns about the credibility and inclusiveness of the vote, noting that key opposition candidates were barred from running until mid-November.
Concerns have also been fuelled by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s consolidation of power in recent years, including through a controversial constitutional referendum in 2023.
In addition to political issues, logistical challenges remain, particularly regarding the timely opening of polling stations and the organisation of elections across the country.
According to authorities, the troop deployment is intended to bolster FACA’s capacity to secure the electoral process in Vakaga alongside UN peacekeepers. The operation, which began last week, is expected to be extended to other prefectures with continued logistical assistance from MINUSCA.
The security plan also includes measures to protect candidates and all stakeholders involved in organising and conducting the elections.
