The Government of Jamaica welcomed the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Engineer Contingent deployed on Wednesday, January 14, to support in the rehabilitation of infrastructure destroyed by Hurricane Melissa in 2025.

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The event was held on Thursday at the Caribbean Military Academy Headquarters in Kingston and was presided over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

Addressing the contingent, Johnson Smith expressed appreciation to the Government of Rwanda, President Paul Kagame and the people of Rwanda for the deployment of RDF engineers, noting that their expertise will contribute meaningfully to the Caribbean nation's post-disaster recovery and resilience-building efforts.

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Speaking on behalf of the leadership of the RDF, Col Claudien Bizimungu expressed Rwanda’s solidarity with the government and the people of Jamaica. He delivered a message from the RDF Leadership, reaffirming Rwanda’s commitment to stand with Jamaica during its recovery and rebuilding process.

Bizimungu emphasized that the deployment reflects Rwanda’s broader commitment to international cooperation and humanitarian support, highlighting the RDF’s experience in engineering, reconstruction, and community-focused interventions.

Col Moses Kayigamba, the RDF Engineer Contingent Commander, also highlighted that Rwandan engineers will work closely with the Jamaican Defence Forces and other national institutions in rehabilitation initiatives, as part of the agreed framework between the two countries.

The deployment is in line with President Paul Kagame&039;s pledge to support the Republic of Jamaica in post-disaster recovery process during his visit in April 2022.