Senior officers attending the Senior Command and Staff Course at the Rwanda Defence Forces Command and Staff College in Nyakinama, Musanze District, are on an international study tour to Israel and Vietnam.Their tour kicked off on March 28 and will end on April 5. The tour was part of a study themed: "The Resilience of a Nation in the face of National Security Challenges.”The delegation comprises 76 students and staff from Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan.The students and faculty members arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 29, received a briefing from senior officials at the Ministry of foreign affairs in Jerusalem on a variety of areas, including Israel-Africa relations” which were described as excellent, and a "Strategic Overview of Middle East”, which detailed geo-political situation and the recurrent threats to the State of Israel.

This was followed by another brief on "Terrorism in the Middle East” and "Israel Water Economy,” in which they heard about Israel’s innovative water harnessing and management system of de-salting sea water, and purifying recycled sewage water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use.The delegation also visited Mount Harif, in the Negev desert, in the far south, where they received a briefing on southern threats, especially terrorism, illegal immigrants and drug smugglers who either cross the border illegally smuggle drugs along the border with Egypt.They also visited a unit deployed along the border with Egypt and spoke to unit commanders and young girls and boys between the age of 18 and early 20s "deployed far away from their families and believe in the need for the ultimate sacrifice to protect their motherland.”The group later visited a Cadet Officers training school in Bahad.On day three, the students toured the Afek Command and General Staff College facility and were briefed on the history of the 60-year-old college.

They discussed the ‘Structure of IDF and its colleges and were taken through the training process of an IDF officer from a cadet officer to a General, followed by a range of very stimulating lectures on various topics such as regional strategic briefing and counter-terrorism briefing.The students also visited several defence plants to witness how the IDF produces its own fighting equipment.The three companies Elbi, Rafael and Israel aerospace industry (IAI) all provide advanced innovative technologies that facilitate the performance of land, air and maritime forces.The students had the opportunity to see the famous ‘iron dome system’ that protected populated Isreal cities from rocket fire from Gaza during the "2014 Operation Protective Edge.”The companies not only make but also upgrade existing equipment by adding more sophisticated visual equipment, communication and laser guided munitions, among others.Vietnam

While in Vietnam, the delegation visited a field crop research institute and received a briefing on the measures the government has taken to ensure food security.They also toured the Military Museum which tells the story of two wars: Vietnam’s war against the French, and the war against America. They were briefed about guerilla tactics used during the wars and the role of the population.

They also visited Vietnam Defence Academy.

The team visited the largest telecommunications company in the country owned by the Ministry of Defence.

They also visited the Institute for the Middle East and African Studies and received a briefing on their research on areas of cooperation with Africa.The ongoing tour aims at providing students with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth study of the history, defence and security establishment, geo-political environment and socio-economic initiatives taken by the host countries to ensure peace and stability.

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The tour in pictures

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