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AFRICOM Inspector General Engagement Strengthens Military Governance Partnership in Central African Republic

U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, U.S. Africa Command Inspector General; U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Tobias Dirks, Chief of Inspections; and U.S. Army Maj. John Allred, military group chief, U.S. Embassy in Central African Republic; join Gen. Léopold Bruno Izamo, Inspector General of the National Army of the Central African Republic, pose for a photo during a simulated inspection at the Fire Station in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR), Feb. 5, 2026. The engagement supported ongoing efforts to strengthen CAR’s military oversight and inspection practices.

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AFRICOM Inspector General Engagement Strengthens Military Governance Partnership in Central African Republic

U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Inspector General (IG), and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Tobias Dirks, Chief of Inspections, observe and provide feedback during a practical exercise with Central African Armed Forces personnel in Bangui, Central African Republic, Feb. 5, 2026. AFRICOM’s IG team introduced its structured inspection framework to help the Inspectorate General of the Armed Forces (IGAN) strengthen oversight, accountability, and organizational performance. (Courtest Photo)

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AFRICOM Inspector General Engagement Strengthens Military Governance Partnership in Central African Republic

U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Inspector General (IG), and Gen. Léopold Bruno Izamo, Inspector General of the National Army of the Central African Republic, conduct a pass and review of The Central African Armed Forces (FACA) troops during an inspector general engagement at the Fire Station in Bangui, Central African Republic, Feb. 5, 2026. Both delegations reaffirmed plans to deepen cooperation through a follow on exchange in fiscal year 2027. ((Courtesy of MINUSCA Security Sector Reform Service)

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AFRICOM Inspector General Engagement Strengthens Military Governance Partnership in Central African Republic

The deputy fire chief of the Central African Armed Forces briefs U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, U.S. Africa Command Inspector General, and Gen. Léopold Bruno Izamo, Inspector General of the National Army of the Central African Republic (CAR), on operational challenges, including the need for reliable supply chains to maintain fire engines, at the Fire Station in Bangui, Central African Republic, Feb. 5, 2026. The discussion highlighted logistics as a critical component of effective force readiness. (Courtesy of MINUSCA Security Sector Reform Service)

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AFRICOM Inspector General Engagement Strengthens Military Governance Partnership in Central African Republic

U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, U.S. Africa Command Inspector General (IG), listens as Gen. Léopold Bruno Izamo, Inspector General of the National Army of the Central African Republic, discusses inspection techniques with a subordinate during a professional exchange in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR), Feb. 4, 2026. AFRICOM’s IG team shared structured inspection practices to support CAR’s institutional reform and governance development. (Courtesy of MINUSCA Security Sector Reform Service)

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BANGUI, Central African Republic— U.S. Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) Inspector General led a military-to-military engagement in Bangui Feb. 2–6, 2026, to strengthen institutional oversight, accountability and leadership within the Central African Armed Forces.

U.S. Air Force Col. Roy Rhinehart, AFRICOM’s Inspector General, met with Central African Republic Minister of National Defense Claude Rameaux Bireau; Inspector General of the Armed Forces Gen. Léopold Bruno Izamo; and leaders from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic Security Sector Reform Service.

The visit marked the third inspector general engagement between AFRICOM and the Central African Republic since November 2024, including one virtual and two in‑person sessions. The engagement focused on reinforcing inspection methodology, strengthening governance mechanisms, and promoting professional military standards within the Forces Armées Centrafricaines, or FACA.

“An inspector general serves as the eyes and ears of the commander — ensuring readiness, discipline and trust across the force,” Rhinehart said. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to professional, accountable, and effective security institutions.”

During the visit, AFRICOM deployed inspection subject-matter experts to conduct a methodology workshop and facilitate professional exchanges with the Inspectorate General of the Armed Forces, known as IGAN. Discussions included inspection standards and best practices, including AFRICOM’s structured inspection framework designed to improve oversight and organizational performance.

Since 2020, IGAN has undertaken reforms to revitalize its inspection functions, conducting awareness workshops on discipline and military justice, engaging parliamentary oversight bodies and conducting field visits to assess troop conditions and strengthen civil-military relations. A July 2025 presidential decree further reinforced IGAN’s authority by expanding its inspection prerogatives and granting it the power of self-referral.

Minister Bireau thanked the United States for its sustained engagement and emphasized that strengthening CAR’s own oversight systems remains central to the government’s vision for a disciplined and effective national defense force. In continuing in this partnership, MINUSCA’s Security Sector Reform leadership emphasized that the United States is currently the only bilateral partner directly supporting IGAN’s institutional reform and governance development efforts. AFRICOM’s engagement complements MINUSCA’s longstanding security sector reform initiatives by providing additional inspection expertise, principled leadership development and military-to-military exchange.

This coordinated approach aligns international assistance efforts while reinforcing CAR’s sovereignty by strengthening institutions that belong to and are led by the Central African government.

Engagements during this week-long trip underscored the importance of accountability, transparency and military justice as foundations for public trust and long-term stability. Discussions also addressed refining inspection processes and strengthening enforcement mechanisms to improve performance across FACA units.

AFRICOM IG's activities in CAR further the command’s commitment to supporting African partners as they strengthen governance, improve institutional accountability and build professional security forces capable of addressing shared challenges.