The Rwanda Formed Police Unit five (RWAFPU5) contingent of 140 officers serving under the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti, last week, received UN service medals for their excellent peacekeeping duties in the Caribbean nation.

While presiding over the medal award ceremony, Sandra Honre, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of Mission in Haiti, expressed satisfaction with the "work done and discipline displayed by Rwandan Police officers” during their year-long peacekeeping duties.

Honre lauded Rwanda for its exceptional global peacekeeping activities and being among the most contributing countries.

"When the troubled region of Darfur in Sudan needed external help, Rwanda was the first country to intervene,” she said.

Honre further commended the Rwandan peacekeepers in Haiti for their role in community policing, joint operations with United Nations Police and supporting the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

The Rwanda FPU contingent commander, Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo, in his remarks, outlined protection of UN personnel, provision of security in Grand Anse region, public order management, community policing such as provision of medical emergency to the local population and community work in partnership with the local population, as some of the significant achievements of the Rwanda FPU5.

Helping the needy

The FPU5 donated to vulnerable groups including orphans who received scholastic materials and paid their tuition fees, conducted community activities like rehabilitation of roads and opening of roads blocked by floods, among others.

The contingent commander also thanked his team for displaying the "highest standard of discipline and adhering to the UN core values” of professionalism, integrity and respect of diversity. 

Munyambo said Rwanda remains willing and committed to international peace building.

The award ceremony was also graced by the Governor of Grand Anse region Norman Weiner, the Minustah acting Police Commissioner Moukaila Idrissou, acting deputy Police commissioner for operations Col Emmanuel Manisha, the FPU Contingent Commanders for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Senegal, Jordan and the Rwanda Diaspora in Haiti, among others.

The guests were also treated to Rwandan and Haitian cultural dances.

Rwanda National Police have been deploying in Haiti since 2010, when the first contingent was deployed.

Rwanda maintains about 600 Police peacekeepers in seven UN missions in Sudan, South Sudan, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Haiti, Central African Republic and Darfur.