Rwanda National Police

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana on Monday received the Director of the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) – police component – Maj. Gen (retired) Cyrille Ndayirukiye at the Rwanda National Police Headquarters in Kacyiru.

The two discussed on how to cooperate in areas of capacity building, especially in training.

He observed that Rwanda National Police has demonstrated as an experienced force, especially in peacekeeping missions.

“Rwanda National Police is advanced; we, therefore, came to discuss on how they can help us in areas of training, especially in peacekeeping missions,” Ndayirukiye said.

“It has deployed peacekeepers to different countries all over the world; they have deployed FPUs [Formed Police Unit]; you cannot deploy FPU unless you meet the UN required standards. This, therefore, confirms clearly to us that RNP is the right Police organ to help us in the field of training,” he stated.

The African Union (AU) tasked the EASFCOM to train Individual Police officers (IPOs) and FPUs for peacekeeping purposes.

Rwanda, whose police missions started in 2005, maintains about 600 police officers in eight peacekeeping missions.

The RNP, last year, inaugurated the Peacekeeping Training Centre at the Police Training School (PTS) in Gishari, and has since trained police officers from both Rwanda and regional countries.

The EASF-COM director thanked IGP Gasana for his role in regional cooperation during his tenure as the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) chairman.

He also thanked the RNP for spearheading the continental anti-GBV campaign and the establishment of its secretariat in Kigali.

IGP Gasana reiterated the need for regional collective security to deal with cross-border crimes, which he said is the best approach towards a secure and peaceful region.

Ndayirukiye also toured several police departments such as Anti GBV block, Isange One Stop Centre, the Police Training School in Gishari and the National Police College in Musanze district.