Uganda's newly appointed defence advisors to different missions abroad have been urged to uphold and maintain the different interests that the country has in their new areas of responsibility.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vincent Bagire made this call while officiating at the opening of an induction workshop for the defence advisors at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya.
Recently, President Museveni appointed Brig Gen Ronald Solomon Bigirwa as a Defence Advisor to Tanzania, Brig Gen Simon Ocan as Defence Advisor to Burundi, Brig Gen Francis Chemengich Chemo as Defence Advisor to Somalia and Col Simon Peter Oyoo as Defence Advisor to India, among others.
The workshop, aims at equipping participants with knowledge on how to conduct business as diplomats, widen their knowledge of Uganda's foreign policy, deepen their understanding of both bilateral and multi-lateral agreements signed by Uganda, and refresh their knowledge on emerging global threats like terrorism and youth bulge, among others.
Bagire congratulated them to a new world of diplomacy and reminded them to always understand the country's foreign policy trajectory, in terms of maintaining mechanisms that enhance peace and security for the social economic transformation of communities.
"There's a marriage of convenience between foreign policy and the defence policy, and the reason is for the existence of sovereignty. Therefore, armed forces need to secure our borders," he observed.
He further commended UPDF for establishing and restoring peace and security in the country and beyond.
Speaking at the same induction workshop, the Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Rosette Byengoma noted that participants will have a detailed understanding of the need for diplomacy for effective service delivery at the end of the workshop.
She urged them to be sensitive to their new areas of responsibility as they fulfill the requirements of the missions.
"Timely provision of the right information to the respective authorities as you discharge your duties will make your work meaningful," Byengoma implored.
She further urged them to uphold the tradition of diplomacy in service delivery by remaining highly competent, disciplined and dedicated to their work.
Byengoma also called for integrity from all defence advisors, noting that integrity as a core value will ease their work towards fulfilling the mandate of the mission.
The ongoing workshop is being attended by the UPDF Chief of Personnel and Administration Brig Gen Eugene Ssenkumba Ssebugwawo, Assistant Director in charge of International Affairs Col Yunus Bagada, and facilitators from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others.
