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Kinyarwanda
Rwanda and the United Sates of America have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the latter reinforcing the Rwanda National Police peacekeeping capabilities through training that conforms with the latest UN standards and for quick deployment.
The two-year initial agreement was signed on April 22 between the Minister for Internal Security Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana and Erica J. Barks Ruggle, the US ambassador to Rwanda, who signed on behalf of their respective countries.
The United States "Africa Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership" initiative dubbed 'International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support (IPPOS) is a multi-phase capacity programme meant to build the capacity of police officers and it covers three domains; pre-training assessment, pre-deployment training and post-training evaluation in mission.
The main objective of the partnership is to ensure that RNP "deploys rapidly" to a crisis, when requested.
Ambassador Barks echoed Rwanda's enormous contribution to international peace and added that the US government is "pleased" support these endevours.
"We are grateful to partner with you in ensuring international peace and we are committed to this course," Barks said.
The US supported RNP during preparations and deployment of the maiden contingent of FPU to Haiti in 2010.
Minister Harerimana thanked the US for initiating this programme which is run under the US department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
"Rwanda has been contributing to peacekeeping operations since 2004 and RNP is a major partner to the UN and currently involved in eight missions where officers support the development of rule of law and local security goals," Minister Harerimana said.
" these mission tasks require highly trained and well equipped police officers, and Rwanda has endevoured to provide some of her well prepared officers to contribute to achieve peace support tasks. This IPPOS agreement is a value addition to our police officers capacities through training and equipment.
The support will also see the Gishari-based RNP peacekeeping pre-deployment training centre elevated to another level as a Regional Centre of Excellence.
He pledged Rwanda's continued commitment to international peace support operations.
RNP maintains over 600 officers in Haiti, CAR, Mali, Liberia, Darfur, Abyei, Ivory Coast and South Sudan, it will continue to contribute to international peace initiatives.
