The agreement was signed on Thursday, August 20, in Seoul by Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Felix Namuhotanye and Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency.
KIGALI — Rwanda and South Korea have agreed to strengthen cooperation between their police forces, including intelligence sharing, the fight against transnational crime, protection of citizens abroad and United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The agreement was signed on Thursday, August 20, in Seoul by Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Felix Namuhotanye and Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency.
Namuhotanye is in South Korea for the police chiefs’ meeting, where the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen policing cooperation.
The pact provides a framework for the two countries to work together against increasingly sophisticated cross-border crimes, including terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime.
The police will also cooperate in tracking, arresting and repatriating fugitives who flee to another country to avoid prosecution.
Rwanda’s regional policing role
South Korea sees Rwanda as an important partner in expanding its policing cooperation across Africa.
Rwanda has played a leading role in regional police cooperation, including through the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO).
South Korea plans to use its cooperation with Rwanda to strengthen its policing links beyond East Africa and expand its network across the continent.
Protecting Koreans in Rwanda
The two countries will also strengthen cooperation to protect South Korean citizens and businesses operating in Rwanda.
The Korean National Police Agency asked Rwanda to support the safety of Korean nationals, particularly businesspeople working in ICT and construction, officials involved in development assistance programmes and volunteers working with non-governmental organizations.
The two sides will improve the sharing of security information so police can respond quickly when incidents involving their citizens occur.
More training and police exchanges
The agreement will also expand police training, education and personnel exchanges.
Five Rwandan police officers are currently studying at the Police Science Institute of the Korean National Police University. Three of them are expected to receive master’s degrees on Friday.
The two countries will also strengthen cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Rwanda is one of the major contributors of police officers to UN peacekeeping missions, while South Korea plans to deploy two police officers to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) later this year.
The two sides agreed to share experience and security information gained from peacekeeping operations.
Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, said the agreement would help the two countries respond more effectively to transnational crime and work closely to ensure the safety of their citizens.
The agreement adds another area of cooperation between Rwanda and South Korea, whose ties have expanded in recent years across technology, investment, development cooperation and security.
