On 15 October The Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces (CDS-GAF), Lieutenant General Mamat O.A. Cham, visited the Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDF CSC) in Nyakinama, Musanze District and delivered a lecture of opportunity to the RDF Senior Command and Staff Course intake 14. on the topic: “Regional Cooperation, Strengthening African Solutions to African Problems.”

On his arrival, Lieutenant General Cham and his delegation were received by the Commandant of RDF CSC, Brigadier General Andrew Nyamvumba, together with the College’s leadership. He was briefed on the vision and the College’s mission, which is to nurture strategic leaders and critical thinkers for the Rwanda Defence Force and for partner nations across the globe.

The visit was an opportunity for the college to share its transformational path and explore future opportunities for collaboration in military education and training.

In his lecture to RDF SCSC intake 14, Lt Gen Cham stressed that “From the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast, our nations face an array of threats such as terrorism, piracy, cybercrime, trafficking in human beings and drugs, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, climate-induced conflicts, and political instability.”

He also argued that’’ If we build capacity, deepen cooperation, and instil confidence, then our Armed Forces will not only defend our borders, but also defend our dignity, development, and dreams.’’

He added that Gambians are committed to a shared vision of a self-reliant, peaceful, and prosperous Africa where every soldier, every citizen, and every leader believes that Africa can and must secure itself. He also added that regional security partnerships and capacity building among African Armed Forces is imperative in ensuring lasting peace.

During his tour, the CDS-GAF expressed appreciation for the college’s commitment to academic excellence and its contribution to professional military education and training in regional peace and security.