The Unites States and Dutch governments have donated equipment to the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to boost its peacekeeping mission in the war ravaged Darfur region of Sudan.

The equipment was handed to Rwanda Military Academy (RMA) Gako and on behalf of the RDF, Maj. Gen Patrick Nyanvumba; the head of J4-army received them.

The equipment is worth an estimated $1.7m (approx Rwf 9.3bn).

The function was attended by the US Ambassador to Rwanda Stuart Symington, Netherlands Ambassador to Rwanda Peter Schönherr and Africa Contingency Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA) Country Director Lambert Marty among other high ranking officials.

The equipment donated include a computer laboratory equipped with 30 networked laptops, 40 fully equipped military sleeping tents each with capacity to accommodate 20 people and other training equipment.

In an interview with the Military spokesman, Maj. Jill Rutaremara, he said that the materials will assist in equipping and training the peacekeepers bound for peacekeeping operations overseas.

"The equipment donated will enhance the capacity of RDF geared to the peacekeeping mission,” said Rutaremara.

The equipment was donated to Rwanda through ACOTA. Both the United States and Netherlands have been supporters of Rwanda’s peacekeeping operations in Darfur.

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