Israel
Day 1, Sunday 9th March 2015
The RDFCSC students and faculty members arrived in Telaviv, Israel on Sunday 29th March 2015. They received a briefing by senior officials at the Ministry of foreign affairs in Jerusalem on a variety of areas to include “Israel-Africa relations which were described as excellent, Strategic Overview of Middle East” which detailed geo-political situation and the recurrent threats to the state of Israel. This was followed by a related brief on “Terrorism in the Middle East” and finally “Israel Water Economy” in which they explained Israel’s innovative water harnessing and management system of de-salting sea water, and purifying recycled sewage water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes.

RDFCSC Tour participants at Park Plaza Hotel (Residence), Hon Hezi, Consular of Republic of Rwanda in Israel receives a college plaque from the commandant of college on arrival.

Day 2, 30th Mar 2015
The tour participants visited Mount Harif in the Negev desert, in the far south where they received a briefing on southern threats especially Terrorists, illegal immigrants and drug smugglers who either cross border illegally or smuggle drugs along the border with Egypt. They visited a unit deployed along the border with Egypt and spoke to unit commanders and young and highly motivated girls and boys between the age of eighteen and early twenties who are deployed far away from their families and believe in the need for the ultimate sacrifice to protect their motherland. The participants went on to visit Cadet Officers training school in Bahad where all Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers are trained to become 2nd Lieutnants.

Tour participants at Mount Kalif, Negev desert.

The RDFCSC Commandant talks to a class of IDF Cadets during the tour.

Group photo in the mountains
Day 3: Tuesday 31st Mar 2015,
Participants toured the Afek Command and General Staff College facility and were received by the college leadership and briefed on the history of the 60 year old college. They went on discuss the ‘Structure of IDF and its colleges’ and briefly took the participants through the training process of an IDF officer from a cadet officer to General officer. This was followed by a range of very stimulating lectures on topics that include: ‘Women Service in the IDF, the ‘IDF and Law of armed conflict’, Regional Strategic Briefing ‘Counter-Terrorism Briefing’ and ‘SIBAT Briefing’.

Group photo at the Afek Command and General Staff College

Commandant gives RDFCSC plaque to the Chief Instructor of IDF Command and General Staff College at the end of the college tour
Day 4, Wednesday 1st April 2015,
Participants had the opportunity to visit several Defence industries to witness how the IDF produces its own fighting equipment. The three companies Elbi, Rafael and Israel aerospace industry (IAI) all provide advanced innovative technologies that facilitate the performance of land, air and maritime forces. The participants also had the opportunity to see the famous ‘iron dome system’ that protected Israels populated cities from rocket fire from Gaza during the “2014 Operation Protective Edge”. These companies not only make but also upgrade existing equipment by adding for instance more sophisticated visual equipment, communication and laser guided munitions to mention but a few.

Visit Elbit- Defence industries

Vietnam
Day 1: 29th March 2015. Vietnam group also arrived on 29th Mar 2015.
Day 2: 30th March 2015. They visited field crop research institute and received a briefing on the measures the government has taken to ensure food security.
Day 3: 31st March 2015. They toured the Military Museum which is divided in two parts: One part is about Vietnams war against the French while the other is about their war against the Americans. They briefed participants about the guerilla tactics that they used during the wars and the role of the population in both wars. They also visited Vietnam Defence Academy and received a briefing on the courses conducted at the college.

Touring the food production facility

Vietnam Tour Participants pose for a group photo
Day 4: 1st April 2015,
They visited viettel group which is the largest telecommunications company owned by the Ministry of Defence and contributes largely to the economy. They visited the institute for the Middle East and African studies and received a briefing on their research into areas of cooperation with Africa.

Vietnam Tour Participants during a lecture.