Rwanda’s elite police and military units have recorded strong performances at the 2026 UAE SWAT Challenge in Dubai, ranking among top teams in several tactical categories during the opening days of the global counterterrorism competition.
The annual contest, which began on February 7, brings together 109 specialised security teams from around the world. Rwanda is represented by three teams: two from the Rwanda National Police (RNP) and one from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).
On the first day of competition, RNP SWAT Team I placed 12th with 99 points, while RNP SWAT Team II ranked 23rd with 88 points. Making its debut at the event, the RDF special operations forces (SOF) team finished 33rd with 78 points.
In one of the technical and tactical categories on day two, RNP SWAT Team I rose to sixth place, underlining Rwanda’s growing capacity in high-level security operations. The competition runs until February 11.
Two teams from Kazakhstan topped the opening-day leaderboard with 109 and 108 points, while a Belgian team placed third with 107 points.
Rwanda’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, John Mirenge, met the teams at the start of the competition, urging them to maintain focus and fully deploy their capabilities throughout the multi-day challenge.
Rwanda has participated in six of the seven editions of the UAE SWAT Challenge since its launch in 2019. In last year’s competition, RNP SWAT Team I finished 11th overall with 407 points, while RNP SWAT Team II ranked 18th with 357 points.
The UAE SWAT Challenge assesses teams on tactical planning, marksmanship, teamwork, speed, physical endurance and operational coordination, simulating real-world counterterrorism and high-risk security scenarios.
Originally inspired by the “Original SWAT World Challenge” first held in the United States in 2004, the UAE-hosted competition aims to strengthen global cooperation, promote the exchange of expertise and enhance professional standards in modern security operations.
