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United States Ambassador to Rwanda Hand Over Military Accommodation Center to the Gako Military Academy

The United States Ambassador to Rwanda Stuart Symington handed a Military Accommodation Center to the Gako Military Academy on Friday, January 16, 2009.  Major General Patrick Nyamvumba accepted the Center, which was funded by the U.S. African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) program, on behalf of the Rwandan Ministry of Defense.

The Accommodation Center will serve approximately 800 Rwandan soldiers undergoing training before they join other Rwandan troops serving with the United Nations and African Union mission to help end conflict in Darfur. 

After touring the Accommodation Center, Ambassador Symington thanked the team of Americans and Rwandans for the tremendous job they are doing to help train Rwandan soldiers preparing to serve as United Nations and African Union peacekeeping forces.  Major General Nyamvumba expressed the appreciation of the Ministry of Defense for the support of the United States, especially its partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Rwanda has received military support via an ACOTA partnership since June 2006.  Since September  2007, the U.S. Government has assisted the Rwandan Defence Forces in providing airlifts for Rwandan peacekeepers and training to Rwandan soldiers preparing to travel to the Darfur region. 

The handover event was also attended by His Excellence the Ambassador of the Netherlands Frans Makken, Dutch Military Attaché WOI  Pothoven, Richard Roan of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Defense Attaché Major Ronald Miller, and several army officers from the Rwandan Defence Forces.