{The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana made a four-day visit to Mali where he met the Rwanda Police peacekeepers serving in the West African nation and thanked them to their discipline and commitment to their mission mandate. }
On the visit that started on March 23, the IGP was accompanied by Amb. Jeanine Kambanda, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jimmy Hodari, Commissioner for Peace Support Operations at Rwanda National Police, and Col. Vincent Nyakarundi, Rwanda’s Military Attaché to the Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
While briefing the Rwandan peacekeepers at their Formed Police Unit (FPU) base camp in Gao, about 1100 kilometers North of the capital Bamako, IGP Gasana commended them for their exemplary work.
He reminded them to maintain the spirit, uphold the country’s values and work as a team with other peacekeepers to realize the mission mandate.
“Know how to operate in a diversified cultural environment and maintain the outreach spirit like conducting Umuganda (community work) in communities and other initiatives,” he said.
While in Gao, the Police Chief met and held discussions with various officials including the Governor of Gao, Oumar Baba Sidibe, the head of MINUSMA office in Gao, Francisco Osler of Argentina and the Regional Police Commander of the Mali forces, Commissioner Diarra Morifing.
Sidibe expressed his gratitude for the exemplary services and image portrayed by Rwandan peacekeepers in their day-to-day mission operations in the conflict affected region.
IGP and his delegation later held discussions with other top government and UN officials including ministers Diop Abdoulaye of Foreign Affairs, Sada Samake of Internal Security, chairman of the Mali Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, Karim Keita, the IGP of Mali Hamidou Gogouna Kansaye and Arnauld Akodjenou, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General.
The officials commended the the Rwandan peacekeepers’ role in the stabilization of the northern region especially during the safe escorting and evacuation of the prisoners of war rescued from the rebels; and ensuring the recent peaceful elections.
“Rwanda experienced the worst period of genocide, but the country managed to get out of the dark period to transform all sectors; there is a lot we can learn from this transformation. Rwanda holds the exemplary image of Africa which we can learn from,” Samake said.
Rwanda’s Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mugisha, the Contingent Commander of the RNP peacekeepers in Mali was also awarded a UN medal for his exceptional leadership and services.
There are 140 RNP peacekeepers including 30 percent of them females, serving under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali ( MINUSMA).
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