The Republican Guard (, or GR), also called the Presidential Guard (, or PR), a republican guard unit that is nominally part of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). However, it is directly subordinated to the President of the Central African Republic, for whom it provides security.

History During the leadership of President François Bozizé, the guard largely consisted of members of his same tribe, "patriots" who helped him seize power during the 2003 coup d'état, and was estimated to number some 800 men.Central African Republic Army. Global Security. Retrieved 21 March 2018. They have been accused of numerous assaults on the civil population, such as terror, aggression, sexual violence. Since the outbreak of the civil war and ethnic violence in 2012 and the overthrow of Bozizé in 2013, many members of the guard have joined the Seleka coalition.U.S. Military Aid to Presidential Guards a Risky Venture. Published 6 October 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2018.

From 2008, they had received training from South African and Sudanese troops, with support from Belgium and Germany, although since then the leadership has been cautious about significantly reforming the guard.Central African Republic Background Note — Security Sector Reform . DCAF. 2 February 2015. Wagner contractors, since 2018, led training for the RG only and avoid training other units in the FACA due to its units being entirely trained by European militaries.

Civil War Since the civil war, transitional president Michel Djotodia attempted to reform the presidential guard, which was staffed by his militia.Bangui: La garde présidentielle en voie de restructuration . Journal de Bangui. Published 25 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2018. Chinese instructors provided training to the presidential guard and other internal security forces in 2018.Centrafrique : 20 éléments de la Garde Spéciale Chargés de la Protection Républicaine formés par des instructeurs chinois. . News.abangui.com. Published 8 December 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2019.

Current In May 2019, a unit of the presidential guard was commissioned after being trained by Russian military instructors, the groupement spécial chargé de la protection républicaine (GSPR). The unit, also known as Alpha Group, had its initial operators trained for seven months. The Section d'Appui aux Opérations Spéciale (SAOS) serves as the Republican Guard's main SOF unit trained by Wagner contractors.

Organization The RG's GSPR does not answer to FACA's General Staff or Parliament as they are under the control of the president. It's mostly made of up of soldiers who hail from the Ngbaka Mandja.

Structure The following units are under the RG:

Republican Guard Alpha One GSPR Support Unit Territorial Infantry Battalion 6 Unit 124

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