On Tuesday, two Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingents of combined 280 officers left Kigali International Airport for a one-year tour-of-duty under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

The contingents; FPU-1 and FPU-2 are commanded by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Uwimana Safari and (SSP) Antoine Munyampundu, respectively.

The contingent under ACP Safari will conduct its peacekeeping operations in the capital Bangui, while that under SSP Munyampundu will be based in Kaga Bandora, in the north of the capital.

The deployed contingents replaced two others of the same number, which returned home later in the evening.

The returned FPU-1 was under the command of ACP Damas Gatare and FPU-2 commanded by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Christian Safari.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Denis Basabose, presided over the departure and arrival of the contingents.

Basabose, while speaking to the returning contingent on arrival at KIA, thanked them for the "good work” and "representing the country ably.”

"You were given enough training prior to your deployment and it is good that you performed as expected; with discipline, teamwork, and professionalism; the awarded medals of service excellence define your good work of peacekeeping in the Central African Republic,” Basabose said.

He further urged them to use the acquired skills and experience from their completed mission, to serve the country.

While giving an overview of their one-year peacekeeping mandate in CAR, SSP Alphonse Ngabonziza, who guided the contingents, said that the pre-deployment training helped them to overcome the challenging circumstances in the mission area.

He said that they successfully completed their mission thanks to the discipline, dedication, resilience, and professionalism exhibited by the officers as well as the good relations with the local population, which partly facilitated them to accomplish their duties.

"We are grateful to be back home. We are all safe, physically and mentally, ready to continue serving our country in other duties that we will be assigned,” he noted.

The contingents are charged with the protection of high profile officials, public order management, protection of internally displaced persons, key installations and infrastructures, patrols and escort duties, among others.

Rwanda is the second-largest police-contributing country to the UN peacekeeping operations.