First contingent of intervention force arrives

The first contingent of the regional Central African Economic and Monetary Community Force (CEMAC) arrived in the Central African Republic (CAR) capital, Bangui, on Wednesday. "Yesterday about 90 Gabonese soldiers came and many more are expected today," Xavier Sylvestre Yangongo, the CAR's junior minister of defence told IRIN on Thursday. The mandate of the CEMAC force - headed by Gen Barthelemy Ratanga of Gabon - is to protect CAR President Ange-Felix Patasse. The force will replace the 200-man Libyan contingent that has been protecting Patasse since the abortive coup by former President Andre Kolingba in May 2001. The troops would also occupy strategic sites in Bangui, and monitor the border between the CAR and Chad, Yangongo added. France trained and equipped the CEMAC troops in its Gabonese (Libreville) military base, and is transporting them to the CAR. China has offered 100 million francs CFA (US $153,853) worth of military equipment, and both the US and the EU have also promised to contribute. The force, which will comprise a total of 350 soldiers from Gabon, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Mali, will be stationed in a former French military base near Bangui's international airport.