Today, Thursday, 3October 2024, the Ministry of Interior is hosting a two-day meeting for the Mutual Peace and Security Cooperation Cluster under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs). This meeting aims to strengthen regional peace and security collaboration, bringing together delegates from Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya.

The Peace and Security Cluster comprises key sectors such as police, immigration, investigation, and correctional services. It plays a crucial role in promoting stability and safety across the region.

The NCIPs, established in 2013, is a multilateral development initiative aimed at accelerating regional growth by enhancing infrastructure to facilitate the smooth movement of people, goods, and services.

CP (Rtd) Vianney Nshimiyimana, Head of Small Arms and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Interior, highlighted the significance of this collaboration in fostering socio-economic transformation, industrialization, and job creation.

"We will also deliberate on ways to expedite the implementation of existing agreements and explore new areas for cooperation," he stated.

He further emphasized: "We are going to address key issues such as the management of refugee flows, disaster management, and the fight against transnational crimes, including **human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, and counter-terrorism."

The Northern Corridor initiative focuses on fast-tracking regional development by fostering joint efforts in infrastructure, trade, and political collaboration to advance deeper regional integration.

Benjamin Sesonga, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, officiated the meeting, noting its timely nature. He stressed that this gathering was an opportunity to assess the progress made in implementing the directives from the 14th NCIPs Heads of State Summit in ensuring sustainable peace and development for the region.

He also reminded attendees that the NCIPs is a collaborative regional effort among member states aimed at enhancing infrastructure and promoting economic growth. He reiterated that the meeting provides a platform to evaluate the current status of the implementation of various directives issued during the 14th Summit of Heads of State.