RWANDA DEFENCE FORCE AND TANZANIA PEOPLE’S DEFENCE FORCE PROXIMITY COMMANDERS MEET TO STRENGTHEN CROSS-BORDER SECURITY

Ngara, 17 September 2025

The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) 5th Infantry Division and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) 202 Infantry Brigade convene the 13th Proximity Commanders’ Security Meeting from 17 to 19 September 2025 in Ngara District, Kagera Region, Tanzania. The meeting brings together military commanders deployed along the shared border to address key security challenges and enhance cross-border cooperation.

The RDF delegation is led by Brigadier General Justus Majyambere, Commander of the RDF 5th Infantry Division, while the TPDF delegation is headed by Brigadier General Gabriel Elias Kwiligwa, Commander of the TPDF 202 Infantry Brigade.

The first day of the meeting included field visits to key border areas to assess the security challenges facing communities on both sides. The delegations jointly visited the Mitako–Rusumo area in Ngara District, which borders Nyamugali Sector in Kirehe District, Rwanda.

They also visited a tri-border point shared by Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi; locations known as hotspots for smuggling and other illicit cross-border activities.

In addition, the commanders visited the Akagera River, which forms a natural boundary between Rwanda and Tanzania. They observed the need for urgent action to protect the wetland from unsustainable farming practices that threaten the river’s ecosystem