Fresh graduates from Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College have been urged to uphold professional integrity and discipline if they are to successfully deal with modern security challenges.

The Minister for Defence, James Kabarebe, made the remarks while officiating at the  third graduation of senior officer trainees at the college based in Nyakinama, Musanze District.

The intake comprised 47 senior officers, including 37 from RDF, two from Rwanda National Police (RNP) and eight from the other East African Community member states, and South Sudan.

Kabarebe told the graduates that the one-year course had equipped them with the necessary analytical, planning and communication skills needed to serve well in today’s complex security environment.

"The experience gained from your time here in a diverse atmosphere of both students and faculty will prove valuable in your work,” he said.

"In the years ahead, most of you will be promoted to positions of higher responsibility where you will be required to uphold high standards of professionalism,  integrity and discipline as you discharge your duties.

‘‘You will be required to be bold and responsible commanders needed to make difficult choices in a complex environment,” Gen. Kabarebe said.

He urged them to maintain the personel relationship created while at the college and keep the communication to engage among themselves on issues of national and regional strategic importance.

"You should keep those links, both professional and personal, they will contribute to our security,” he said.

He described the graduation as a major milestone in their professional development.

 "Today’s rapidly changing world and modern military operations demand commanders with open, flexible minds that are equipped with capacity to think logically about problems to arrive at well thought-out solutions and to outline those solutions with clarity, brevity and insight,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Charles Karamba, the College commandant, said the students had adhered to college expectations and objectives to the end of the course.

Karamba said the officers underwent two separate courses, namely military science package and security studies.

The College works closely with the University of Rwanda (UR) and has created partnership with other regional and international universities to ensure courses needed for military officers are well dispensed.

The College was inaugurated three years ago to offer high-level military studies. A total of 138 senior officers have since graduated from the college.

The College is expected to produce high level senior officers from around the region and help reduce on the number of Rwandan officers sent abroad for training.

Graduates said they had acquired necessary skills which would help them perform their tasks as military officers and deal with contemporary security challenges.

Major Deo Mutabazi, of RDF, who emerged as the overall best performer, said they had gained necessary skills to enable them take up and accomplish high military tasks.