President Jacob Zuma welcomed President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic (CAR) for talks at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The aim was to strengthen bilateral relations under the Framework Co-operation Agreement (FCA) which was signed in 2006, the Presidency said in a statement.

The agreement provides for political, economic, social, security, cultural, scientific and technical co-operation between both countries.

Touadera is a former prime minister and mathematics teacher. He was elected president of the former French colony in February 2016.

Fifteen South African soldiers were killed in the CAR during the country's civil war in March 2013.

South Africa had not entirely ruled out the possibility of deploying more soldiers to the Francophone country.

South Africa first deployed troops to the CAR in 2007, as part of Operation Vimbezela. It was intended to help then president, François Bozizé during a rebellion from rebel forces.

News24 reported in March 2013 that the South African National Defence Force had become a target for reportedly helping Bozizé flee the country into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.