A contingent of Rwanda National Police (RNP) under the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAAH) has been awarded a certificate of Environmental Commitment in recognition of its activities in improving the environment in that country.

The award was presented to RNP by the MINUSTAAH Mission Director, Wallace Divine, after an inspection conducted this month in regard with environment protection in all mission occupied sites.

RNP maintains 145 peacekeepers in Haiti, with 140 of them under the Formed Police Unit (FPU). 

The purpose of the inspection was to assist contingents in acknowledging good environmental practices that have been implemented and also in depicting potential environmental problems in camps and to provide advice for preventive actions.

The Rwandan contingent Commander, CP Bruce Munyambo said on March 14 that based on the idea of promoting Rwanda’s home grown solutions and environmental cultural awareness, the contingent located in the southern region of Haiti in Jeremie, implemented a new initiative where garbage is collected in one place, segregated and deposited in general dumping at Port au Prince.

"During the last inspection carried out on March 11, the environment Compliance Unit inspected [our] base camp and they were satisfied by the contingent’s environmental awareness,” CP Munyambo said.

The Rwandans have been hailed for its exemplary implementation of mission goals, and in February this year, the Police Commissioner MINUSTAAH, Serge Therriault, saluted the exemplary service by Rwandan Police peacekeepers in the Caribbean nation.

Rwanda started its peacekeeping operations in Haiti in 2010 following a devastating earthquake that left over 300, 000 people dead and about 1.6 million others homeless, in the same year.

Since their deployment, Rwandan peacekeepers, who introduced the home-grown monthly norm of community work (Umuganda) to the country have cleaned streets, and renovated prisons, trenches, and supported the vulnerable community.