{{Africans need to define their interests and put their nations and peoples interests first. This was stated by Hon Gen James Kabarebe, Minister of Defense while closing a regional course on Political Affairs at Rwanda Peace Academy, Nyakinama on 16 March.}}
“It is not right that we continue blaming others for our ordeals. External forces often exploit our internal weakness and in particular the bad and weak leadership”, Minister James Kabarebe said in his closing remarks.
The Minister recalled the indifference of United Nations and International Community who were witnessing the preparation and execution of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi; they abandoned Rwandans who were dying. “The destiny of Africans, and in indeed the Eastern Africa region lies in the hands of its peoples and its leaders”, he emphasized.
Col Michael Nkurunziza from the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM), the co-organiser of the course said that this training was in line with the preparations of the next Eastern Africa Standby Force military exercise to be held in May in Uganda.
The Rwanda Peace Academy Director, Col Jill Rutaremara told the media that the course was well organized and conducted; the participants of the course had the opportunity to analyse and understand the national, regional and international political issues especially those related to conflict and emerging security threats and challenges.
The course was organized by Rwanda Peace Academy in partnership with the EASFCOM and sponsored by GIZ, the Germany International Cooperation. The Political Affairs Course was attended by 28 participants from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia and Republic of Sudan, Uganda as well as the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) officials.
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