The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel K. Gasana, on Saturday visited and addressed over 350 Rwandan Police peacekeepers in Juba, serving under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The officers include those under Formed Police Units (FPUs) and Individual Police Officers (IPOs), who serve as advisors and mentors.

While briefing the Rwandan peacekeepers, Gasana reminded them to "continuously enhance professional conduct.”

He also emphasised on "maintaining values, ensure unity of command, force discipline, force protection and adhering to the UN mandate.”

Rwanda currently maintains a total of 587 Police officers in UNMISS; three FPUs contingents of 559 officers with two of them including a female contingent based in Juba, while a female contingent is based in Malakal. Other 27 are deployed as IPOs. Another officer holds a professional post.

Earlier on, the Police chief paid a courtesy call on the UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (D/SRSG), Mustapha Soumare, and the Inspector General of South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) as well as the UNMISS Police Commissioner. The separate meetings aimed at appreciating and strengthening the existing relations and cooperation.

Rwanda National Police (RNP) and SSNPS signed an MoU in 2011 to formalise and enhance their partnership in various policing aspects including information sharing and exchange of training programmes and expertise in various fields.

Since then, a number of police officers from South Sudan have been trained in Rwanda in various policing disciplines at tactical and Senior Command levels.

UNMISS leadership commended Rwandan peacekeepers for their "exemplary work” in protecting civilians and other assigned peacekeeping duties.

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