The East African Community member states’ Armed Forces, police personnel and civilian components from 6 countries namely Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda started 12th EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise codenamed “Ushirikiano Imara” 2022 at Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre, Jinja, Uganda.
Rwanda was represented at the ceremony by the Rwanda Defence Force Army Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Mubarakh Muganga.
The two-week long exercise will be carried out under the theme, “Promoting Peace, Security and Stability towards the East African Community Integration.”
While opening the exercise, Uganda’s third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama said that the exercise provides the EAC partner states an opportunity to enhance interoperability between armed forces in addition to consolidating the East African integration agenda.
Prof Gaspard Banyankimbona, Executive Secretary Inter-University Council for East Africa, who spoke on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, said that the exercise is designed to practice the participants in planning and conduct of integrated peace support operations, counter terrorism, counter piracy operations and disaster management with the purpose of enhancing the capabilities of the partner states’ armed forces to combat security challenges.
The EAC armed forces field training exercise has been conducted every two years since 2005 on a rotational basis among the EAC partner states, in accordance with article 2 of the EAC protocol on cooperation in Defence Affairs and persuant to the defence sector calendar of activities. (End)