“The men sent my parents away at the point of their AK-47, then they raped me.”

U.S. Navy Equipment Operator 2nd Class Tom Ross, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 22, explains trailer detachment to Rwanda Defence Force engineers during their tour of Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Feb. 24, 2016. RDF members learned more about U.S. expeditionary camps and what equipment is used to build and maintain them. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Victoria Sneed)

U.S. Navy Lt. Raul Cuevas, Camp Lemonnier Public Works Department civil engineer corps officer, explains the inner workings of the reverse osmosis water purification unit to Rwanda Defence Force engineers at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Feb. 23, 2016. The ROWPU provides clean, drinkable water to the residents of Camp Lemonnier. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Victoria Sneed)

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Christopher Mason, 870th Air Expeditionary Squadron Civil Engineering power production, shows Rwanda Defence Force engineers a 12-person tent at Chebelley Airfield, Djibouti, Feb. 25, 2016. RDF members visited Chebelley and Camp Lemonnier to see how U.S. partners set up different types of expeditionary camps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Victoria Sneed)

Six Rwandan Defence Force engineers visited Camp Lemonnier and Chebelley Airfield, Djibouti, Feb. 23-26, 2016, to see how U.S. military members work and live in different types of expeditionary camps.

Cynthia Petrigh, from Beyond Peace, discusses gender based violence at U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Commandant Ngarhordje Dedjiri and her colleague from Chad hear opening comments at the U.S. AFRICOM's Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Group photo of participants of the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Former African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha draws an African spear as an analogy to describe the challenge of executing peace operations where multiple systems of law are in use, and soldiers require the support of their command in confronting extraordinary logistical challenges." Mugisha delivered the keynote address at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Legal Counsel to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Marine Col. Donald Riley delivers comments at AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Deputy Chief of Legal Services for the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Col. Godard Busingye, (left), and President of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), Prof. Fausto Pocar at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Testimony of Dr. Joseph Siegle, Director of Research, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, presented to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, Dec. 9, 2015.

U.S. Army Africa hosts tour for U.S. Amb. to Rwanda

African military lawyers meet U.S. counterparts to discuss Rule of Law

“The Rule of Law is our most important export.” – U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer, AFRICOM Dep. Cdr. for Military Operations. Military lawyers from 17 African nations have joined U.S. counterparts to discuss a variety of legal topics during a forum hosted by U.S. Africa Command, Mar. 17-19, 2015, at the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Kelley Barracks. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Eleven military officers and two senior government officials from the African nations of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda met with senior staff members at U.S. Africa Command to discuss areas of mutual interest and future partnerships, Nov. 6 at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison in Stuttgart, Germany.

Rwanda Country Page

Twelve technicians from the Defence Forces of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda recently participated in a malaria diagnostic training event sponsored by the U.S. Africa Command’s Office of the Command Surgeon and the

“I always wanted to be in the military, ever since I grasped the depth of the genocide,“ said Cadet First Class Joseph Abakunda, a Rwandan international cadet at the United States Air Force Academy when asked how he came to be in Colorado Springs,