East African armies conclude joint drills in Jinja
The East African armies have concluded joint military drills under the 12th edition of the East African Community Command Post Exercise code-named Ushirikiano Imara 2019 in Jinja.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Friday, the Minister of State for Defence in charge Veteran Affairs Lt Col Dr. Bright Rwamirama said the joint activities enhance the integration of the region.
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"As East African Community partner states, we need to walk the talk to further strengthen our integration so that we can realise its benefits," Rwamirama said.
He noted that the EAC partner states have similar security challenges that call for a joint approach to handle, adding that this can only be achieved through joint training, operations and sharing of intelligence information.
The Defence Minister added that the EAC armies have gone a step towards attaining interoperability through the implementation of the community’s protocol in defence affairs in which the states agreed on conducting joint military training, joint operations, technical co-operation, visits and exchange of information.
He added that such joint training enhances the state of readiness of partner states in responding to complex security situations as well as anticipate threats and prepare for them accordingly.
“Despite the colonial boundaries drawn for the exploitation of Africans, as East Africans, we remain the same people with the same destiny,”Rwamirama said.
The Minister, however, urged the participants to continue making use of the knowledge acquired from the joint training.
Speaking at the same function, the Chief of Defence Forces ( CDF) Gen David Muhoozi applauded the exemplary participation by partner states contingents, saying that grasping the professional way of jointly operating is a great step towards deploying together as a single robust force in case need arises.
“Such exercises are not competitions but rather a joint learning process with the aim of attaining the skills to deploy together in future to ensure peace, security and stability in the region. Therefore, we are all winners,”Gen.Muhoozi noted.
The CDF said that the entry of South Sudan into the community is an added advantage for the region.
“We welcome South Sudan that is participating in this exercise for the first time. This is a way to go in strengthening our capabilities as a region,” he said.
The representative of the EAC Secretary General, Samson Abura said the regular conduct of joint activities under the EAC Protocol in defence affairs inspire other blocks in Africa.
He revealed that the just concluded exercise is a precursor for a field training exercise due in Uganda in 2020.
The exercise director who is also the Deputy Commander Land Forces (D/CLF) Maj Gen Sam Kavuma said that the objectives of the exercise were among others to take participants through duties and responsibilities of a force headquarter, manning operation rooms, joint planning, practice the EAC Standing Operation Procedures and use of the media.
The closing ceremony was attended by Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff from partner states or their representatives and other high ranking military, police and prisons officers.
The East African Community Command Post drills for regional armies have been conducted since 2005.
