Thirty-four senior Police officers from nine African countries graduated on Friday, June 20, from the National Police College (NPC) following their successful completion of the one-year Police Senior Command and Staff Course (PSCSC).

The 13th PSCSC intake was attended by 20 law enforcement officers from Rwanda as well as 14 from allied students from South Sudan, Kenya, Namibia, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Central African Republic, and Botswana.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Vincent Biruta presided over the colourful graduation, which was also attended by Police Chiefs from Kenya and South Sudan, diplomats as well as families of the graduates.

It was also attended by Deputy Police Chiefs and high ranking law enforcement officers from Central African Republic (CAR), Botswana, Eswatini and Namibia.

Minister Biruta congratulated the senior law enforcement officers upon successful completion of the rigorous academic and professional programme.

"Today, we have gathered here to celebrate your achievements, as well as your efforts, hard work, team spirit, commitment, and resilience," Minister Biruta said.

He reminded them that learning is continuous-there is still more to do, more to learn, and more to achieve.

"The world's history shows that conflict is a constant feature of human society. In today's world, modernization and globalization have made law enforcement more challenging and multifaceted. Maintaining peace and security therefore, requires even greater effort, not only to prevent and combat crimes, but also to address the underlying factors that can lead to conflict," the Minister stated.

He expressed gratitude to the African countries that sent students to participate in this course, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing challenges and fostering a peaceful continent.

The Minister also said that fighting crimes and resolving conflicts on the continent calls for regional and international cooperation, especially in this technological era and globalized world.  

The PSCSC is a one-year programme delivered by the National Police College in partnership with the University of Rwanda and the African Leadership University.

It combines three components; the Police Command and Staff Course, which awards successful participants with the Passed Staff College (PSC) title; Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management, and a Master of Arts in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation.