The Government of Jamaica has officially received a team of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) engineers deployed to help rehabilitate infrastructure damaged by natural disasters, marking a new step in growing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The team was welcomed during a ceremony held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at the headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force Staff College in Kingston. The event was presided over by Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Johnson Smith thanked the Government of Rwanda, President Paul Kagame, and the Rwandan people for extending technical support through the deployment of military engineers.
She said the expertise of the RDF team is expected to play a key role in Jamaica’s reconstruction efforts and in strengthening the country’s resilience to climate change–related disasters.
She also highlighted the importance of South–South cooperation, noting that the partnership between Rwanda and Jamaica reflects shared commitments to solidarity and collective action in the face of increasingly frequent natural disasters.
Representing RDF leadership, Colonel Claudien Bizimungu said Rwanda stands in solidarity with Jamaica and remains committed to supporting the country’s recovery and rebuilding efforts.
He noted that the deployment aligns with Rwanda’s broader foreign policy focus on international cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and sharing technical expertise.
The commander of the RDF engineering contingent, Colonel Moses Kayigamba, said the team will work closely with the Jamaica Defence Force and other government institutions to restore damaged infrastructure under existing bilateral cooperation frameworks.
The deployment follows commitments made during President Paul Kagame’s official visit to Jamaica in April 2022, when he held talks with Prime Minister Andrew Holness aimed at strengthening diplomatic and development cooperation between the two nations.
