Engineers from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) have arrived in Jamaica to assist in rebuilding communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa in October. The contingent of 101 members was officially welcomed on January 15 at the Caribbean Military Academy Headquarters in Kingston, with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, attending the ceremony.

Senator Johnson Smith thanked the Government of Rwanda, President Paul Kagame, and the Rwandan people for their support, saying the engineers’ expertise would help strengthen Jamaica’s recovery and resilience efforts.

” We are deeply grateful to President @PaulKagame for this strong show of solidarity and hope as Jamaica continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa. Collaboration will remain vital as we rebuild with resilience, and so we welcome the wider unity and perseverance also inspired by Rwanda’s generosity and cooperation,” 

Colonel Claudien Bizimungu, representing RDF leadership, reaffirmed Rwanda’s solidarity with Jamaica and highlighted the contingent’s experience in reconstruction and community-focused humanitarian work. Colonel Moses Kayigamba, the contingent commander, said the RDF engineers would work closely with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and national authorities to rebuild damaged infrastructure.

On January 19, RDF and JDF engineers began reconstruction work in Montego Bay, St James Parish, starting with homes for families affected by Hurricane Melissa. Colonel Kayigamba emphasized that the mission goes beyond rebuilding houses, focusing on supporting communities and contributing to long-term resilience.

The deployment marks a concrete step in Rwanda’s commitment to international cooperation and humanitarian assistance, demonstrating close collaboration between the two countries in disaster recovery.

Jamaica’s recovery efforts have also received support from regional neighbors, including Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as international partners such as the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United Nations.