HUYE-Twenty Air Force officers have completed a five-day training program on Geographic Information System (GIS) with a focus on geo-sciences, photo-interpretation and image processing.

The course, organised by the National University of Rwanda, Centre for Geographic Information (CGIS) and the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF), aimed at equipping the soldiers with skills in GIS information which are critical in carrying out their duties.

"When you are in an aircraft, you need to analyse the data you collect and relate aerial images to physical features,’’ Lt Col Emmanuel Gashayija, the RDF Air-Defence Commander the told The New Times during the closing ceremony of the training program in Huye District.

GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data.

The participants pledged to utilise the acquired skills in executing their military tasks.

"As a soldier, GIS will help me to do the mapping, safely reach dangerous zones, help in natural disaster management and minimise casualties at the battlefield,” Oscar Masumbuko, one of the participants, said.

The university acting Vice-Rector in charge of Academics and NUR, Prof. Herman Musahara, noted that the workshop was organised as part of the varsity’s human resource development agreement they have with the army.

He noted that the military was one of the major users of Geographic Information, observing that the program was generally beneficial to the army in execution of their daily tasks.

Founded in 1999, CGIS serves as a national and regional training and research outreach centre to address the issue of rural sector transformation and poverty reduction.

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