Rwanda’s tremendous efforts and commitment to peacekeeping is visible and appreciated globally, a US official has said.

Ambassador Phillip Carter, the Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement (DCME) of United States Africa Command made the remarks yesterday at the Rwanda National Police (RNP) headquarters in Kacyiru during a meeting with the force’s leadership.

Amb. Carter had led a team of officials from various US agencies to a dialogue on how to reinforce RNP’s peacekeeping capabilities under the United States "Africa Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership” initiative.

"Rwanda is recommended for tremendous efforts it is making in terms of global peacekeeping. We are here to build upon the successes registered in terms of ensuring global peace,” Carter said.

Rwanda is the fifth largest contributor of peacekeepers in the world and second in Africa.

Amb. Carter noted that the US initiative intends to reinforce these peacekeeping capabilities.

Rwanda maintains about 5, 000 police and military officers in various peacekeeping operations, with about 600 of them being police officers deployed in eight countries.

RNP also intends to deploy two more contingents of 140 Formed Police Unit (FPU) each, to South Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR).

"We are here to initiate talks with our Rwandan partners to examine how we can better reinforce the capacity of the Rwandan government – Rwanda Defence Force and Rwanda National Police – to rapidly deploy in peacekeeping operations.”

"We are here to examine Rwanda’s priorities and how best we can develop this new programme to meet the needs of the Rwandan government in the context of peacekeeping and encourage the ability to deploy rapidly in crisis.”

The three to five year programme looks to engage six African countries that have shown a clear commitment to peacekeeping.

"Within this period, we are looking on how to build organic capabilities and capacities amongst these countries so that they can improve their capabilities to deploy rapidly to a crisis,”

Amb. Erica J. Barks-Ruggles, the US ambassador to Rwanda also acknowledged Rwanda’s vital role in peacekeeping and internal initiatives laid to respond to international calls to peace building.

The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana, who thanked the US government for the support, noted that the partnership would supplement Rwanda’s constitutional mandate of pursuing international peace.

The US supported RNP during preparations and deployment of the maiden contingent of FPU to Haiti in 2010.

IGP Gasana highlighted deployment of sniffer dogs, marine police and training officers in investigations in line with peacekeeping operations as areas the force needs to engage in to supplement its existing peacekeeping capabilities.

RNP established a Peacekeeping Pre-deployment Training Centre at the Police Training School in Gishari, Rwamagana District, which was named the ‘Regional Centre of Excellence’ to spearhead and equip regional forces with peacekeeping skills in various fields.

The centre established in 2012 has so far trained officers from about 13 countries, including a Formed Police Unit contingent of 140 officers from Burundi and an FPU Training of Trainers (ToT) course of officers from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda conducted mid last year.

Police spokesperson, Chief Supt. Celestin Twahirwa explained that they are going to explore areas where they will cooperate especially in terms of training and logistical support.