A week-long training on Weapon and Ammunition management opened on Monday, April 19, at the Police Training School (PTS) Gishali in Rwamagana District. The training is conducted by Rwanda National Police (RNP) in partnership with Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) and the US Embassy in Rwanda. Eighteen Police officers from various units of RNP are attending the course, which was officially opened by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Operations, Felix Namuhoranye. Present was also RECSA Executive Secretary, Lt. Gen Badreldin Elamin Abdelgadir and US Embassy Assistant Regional Security Officer, Diana Kaiser. Namuhoranye said RNP considers capacity building as one of its key priorities in building a knowledge-based and professional policing. He commended all entities that support the force’s training programmes in different policing disciplines This training is aimed at equipping participants with required basic knowledge and skills towards enhancing weapon and ammunition management in the region, Namuhoranye said. Police, he said, considers capacity building as one of its key priorities a reason as to why police officers are trained in various fields including weapon and ammunition management and control. This, he added, is meant to further improve the skills and knowledge of officers to properly manage armories. We all know that ineffective management of weapons and ammunitions may threaten peoples safety and security, and may relatively impact on socio-economic development of countries. Course participants should bear in mind that ammunitions, explosives or weapons, when poorly managed, could end up in the hands of criminals... terrorists who can in-turn jeopardize national and regional security, Namuhoranye said. He challenged the trainees to use what they will acquire from the training to effectively manage armories in their respective units, but also share the knowledge and skills with other officers. Badreldin said RECSA is investing in weapon and ammunition programme to respond to challenges that have been caused by accumulation of ammunitions and weapons in the region thus increasing armed conflicts, violent crimes and terrorism, among others. The course is considered important to our member states because it helps to control the population with small arms beginning with security agencies, by establishing effective control systems to safeguard, in a proper manner, weapons and ammunitions in accordance with international recognized standard, Lt.Gen Badreldin said. In her remark, Diana Kaiser, the US Embassy Assistant Regional Security Officer thanked Rwanda for its safety and security, and the existing collaboration in the region and around the world and its role in peacekeeping missions. She applauded the Government of Rwanda for its weapon management programme and pledged continued partnership in matters of security
