{Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda have signed guidelines for cooperation in Peace Support Operations under the North Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP).The guidelines were signed on Thursday, the second day of a workshop that attracted delegates from the three countries to Kigali.}
The Peace Support Operations – which are expected to be set up when the leaders from the five countries endorse the guidelines – are a product of positive negotiations that resulted from a “Mutual Peace and Security Pact” signed May last year, which aims to establish the Eastern Africa Standby Force.
The aim of setting up these operations is to safeguard and protect the fast economic growth of the three countries, whilst avoiding overlapping similar and separate cooperation under the NCIP.
Speaking at a workshop hosted in Kigali, the Rwandan head of delegation, Chief Inspector of Police, Sam Mwesigwa, said that under the guidelines, the Peace Support Operation will jointly tackle cross-cutting crimes such as terrorism, smuggling and economic crimes, as well as improve the lives of people in the region by managing conflicts and guaranteeing peace.
“We are discussing areas under which member states will cooperate when the Peace Support Operation is implemented.
“They include modalities under which we shall conduct joint trainings, joint command post exercises, financial mobilization, force generation, among others,”Mwesigwa said in an interview.
Kenya’s delegation head, Dancan Ogore added: “The operation will aim to improve the lives of people in the Northern Corridor partner states through guaranteeing their peace and security and improving their capability to manage conflicts where they emanate.”
Amanda Magambo who is head of the Ugandan entourage said that the partner states recognize peace and security as a pertinent issue necessary for propelling the region towards its development visions.
Other areas of cooperation in the Northern Corridor Integration Projects include; disaster risk reduction, management of refugees, control of proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons, combating financial, organized and cross-border crimes such as human and drug trafficking, money laundering and cyber crimes among others.
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