STUDENTS OF RWANDA DEFENCE FORCES COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE CONDUCTED AN INTERNATIONAL STUDY TOUR TO GAFCSC

A 20-member study tour delegation from the Rwanda Defence Forces Command and Staff College (RDFCSC), led by the course coordinator, Colonel Corneille Nkundimana, embarked on an international study tour to Ghana and visited the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) on Thursday, 13 February 2025.

 

The delegation comprises 5 staff members and 15 student officers, mostly of East African origin. The purpose of the visit was for the delegation to gather firsthand information on the history, national security policies, and doctrines of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for the training of middle-level officers, especially at GAFCSC.

 

First, the leaders of the delegation paid a courtesy call to the Commandant GAFCSC, Major General Matthew Essien, at his office. Thereafter, members of the delegation were given an insightful presentation by the Chief Coordinator of GAFCSC, Colonel Kwesi Ayima, on areas of concern for the study visit. Additionally, matters related to the establishment of the National Defence University (NDU), of which GAFCSC remains a college under the umbrella of the NDU, were also mentioned.

 

 

Furthermore, issues pertaining to the development of the GAFCSC course curriculum, course packages, and training areas of possible collaboration between both military institutions were also highlighted. It was reaffirmed that the exchange programs established between the GAFCSC and RDFCSC have fostered an ethical exchange of experiences and ideas that has further deepened the roots of bilateral ties between Ghana and Rwanda.

 

 

On behalf of the delegation, Colonel Nkundimana expressed his appreciation to the Commandant for the warm reception and insightful presentation from the college and the Ghana Armed Forces. He acknowledged the meticulous plan and well-structured study tour by GAF especially the role played by GAFCSC. He reaffirmed the vital role GAFCSC has played in mentoring several Rwandese officers, which included him as a former student of the college.

 

 

 

The Commandant GAFCSC, Major General Matthew Kwaku Essien, remarked that the visit was a mark of significant steps taken to strengthen the collaboration and partnership between both esteemed institutions. He also spoke about the modern threats to security across the globe of which a multifaceted effort of regional security architecture would be required in addressing/combating such security challenges.

 

He encouraged the delegation to cultivate personal and professional relationships among each other with the view to fostering a network of military professionals committed to peace and security in the region and beyond. The visit was successfully climaxed with an exchange of mementoes by both parties.