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A delegation of officers from the Army War College Nigeria, Course 7/203, who are on a Geo-Strategic Study Tour in Uganda had an engagement with the strategic leadership of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters, Mbuya yesterday 13^th June 2023.

The Joint Chief of Staff Major General Leopold Kyanda, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, lauded the Government of Nigeria and Nigerian Armed Forces for the continued friendship and bilateral co-operation with Uganda and specifically the Ministry of Defence/UPDF on matters of defence and security.

“This tour presents a valuable opportunity to share experiences and seek solutions to the global security challenges. This is because the globe and Africa in particular are shaped by its geo-strategic location, natural resources and competing foreign interests which have socio-economic, political and security connotations that call for new approaches, strategies and partnership to deal with common security challenges,” said Maj. Gen. Kyanda.

Maj. Gen. Kyanda commended the Nigerian Government and Army War College for embracing and supporting initiatives of bilateral, regional and international levels aimed at finding sustainable solutions to crosscutting security issues that affect peace and stability. He reaffirmed UPDF’s commitment to supporting all initiatives and protocols aimed at combating the existing security threats. He encouraged them to keep on networking sharing and exchanging relevant information that may guide strategic military decisions in order to ensure sustainable peace, stability and social economic transformation.

The Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Brig. Gen. Abdul Rugumayo said that the Uganda and Nigeria enjoy a long history, which predates colonial times. The two countries are multi-lingual with multi-ethnicities, with a history of civil wars and instability. He also noted that the first Chief Justice of independent Uganda Sir Udo Udoma (1963-69) was a Nigerian.

Speaking at the same function, the Chief Political Commissar (CPC) Maj Gen Henry Matsiko reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to Africa’s integration which will lead to economic and later political integration. He said that Africa had four broader original groups; the Bantu/Kwa, the Nilotic-Luo in the Sahel African region, the Afro-Asiatic/Hamitic group and the Khoisan group as he called for the uniting of Africa.