VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0865 3571246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221246Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5799
INFO RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KIGALI 000865 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
S/CT FOR RHONDA SHORE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: STATE 120019 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU)  The Government of Rwanda (GOR) reinforced border 
control measures to identify potential terrorists and to 
prevent the entry into Rwanda of armed groups operating in 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Rwanda's 
intergovernmental counterterrorism committee and a 
counterterrorism reaction team in the police intelligence 
service continued to operate.  In June, a U.S. Coast Guard 
team trained Rwanda Defense Force marines on border control 
operations on Lake Kivu (bordering the Congo), including 
harbor security, interdiction of illegal traffic in goods and 
persons, the law of naval warfare, anti-narcotrafficking, and 
counterterror drills and procedures. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Rwandan officials (particularly in the Central 
Bank and Ministry of Finance) continued to cooperate on 
terrorist financing issues.  In 2008, Parliament approved new 
comprehensive legislation supporting the prevention and 
suppression of money laundering and financing of terrorism. 
The legislation, expected to be gazetted by the end of the 
year, included provisions to enhance the transparency of 
financial transactions, establish a financial investigations 
unit and authorize the freezing of assets of individuals and 
organizations involved in illicit or terrorism-related 
activities.  Rwanda officially committed itself to locating 
and freezing terrorist assets identified by the international 
community. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Rwanda is not a safehaven for terrorist groups, 
and does not support or condone the existence of terrorist 
groups on its territory. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Rwanda participated in regional initiatives on 
international counterterrorism cooperation, including the 
East Africa Standby Brigade.  In November 2007, Rwanda hosted 
a meeting of the Committee of Intelligence and Security 
Services of Africa, which brought intelligence and security 
officials together to address security challenges faced by 
members of the African Union through information sharing and 
strategic intelligence coordination.  In October 2008, Rwanda 
hosted a meeting of African Union Attorney Generals and 
Ministers of Justice, which considered a broad range of law 
enforcement issues, including counterterrorism cooperation 
and legislation.  Rwanda also hosted several extensive 
training courses for senior police commanders on 
counterterrorism and other issues in cooperation with the 
United Kingdom. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Besides reinforcing border security and refining 
counterterrorism legislation and intelligence sharing, the 
GOR developed counterterrorism response strategies.  The 
Rwandan national tourist office continued its development of 
a communications network to alert embassies should their 
citizens be harmed in Rwanda's national parks.  Work 
continued as well on increased disaster preparedness.  The 
national Civil Aviation Authority, working in conjunction 
with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the 
Department of Transportation, reviewed East African Community 
security measures for airports and airlines in Rwanda, 
focusing in particular on security and disaster response at 
Kigali International Airport, the nation's gateway entry 
point for tourists and other visitors to Rwanda.  2008 marked 
the first year that Rwanda sent Rwanda National Police 
officers to the International Law Enforcement Academy for a 
range of criminal investigation courses with counterterrorism 
applications. 
SYMINGTON