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A Technical Evaluation Team (TET) from the East African Community (EAC), led by Deputy Commander Land Force Maj Gen Ignace Sibomana of the Burundi National Defence Forces (BNDF) yesterday 06^th June 2023 visited the UPDF Contingent Force operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) yesterday 06^th June 2023. The UPDF Contingent serves as a Peacekeeping Mission in North Kivu, DRC, under the mandate of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF). The evaluation exercise focused on the implementation of the EACRF mandate, including mission mandate, politics, security, peace and stability, deployment status, humanitarian aid, and achievements.

The UPDF Contingent Force stationed in the DRC on Thursday 06^th June 2023 visited by the Technical Evaluation Team (TET) of the East African Community (TVEAC), which was headed by Maj Gen Ignace Sibomana, Deputy Commander Land Force of the Burundi National Defence Forces (BNDF).

The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) gives this force the authority to carry out a peacekeeping mission in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A group of seven senior military commanders from the EAC Headquarters accompanied the Maj Gen. Ignace Sibomana

The UPDF Contingent Commander, Col. Michael Walaka Hyeroba, greeted him. The East African Community Heads of State (EAC HOS) gave the order to conduct the review during the 21st Extraordinary Summit of the EAC HOS on May 31 in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.

The summit ordered the establishment of a Technical Evaluation Team (TET) by the East African Community Secretariat (EACS) to carry out evaluations and review the execution of the mandate of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF).

All troop contributing forces participating in EACRF operations in the DRC will be subject to assessments and evaluation exercises by the team, which was composed of representatives from the seven EAC member states.

According to Maj Gen Sibomana, the assessment would help identify problems and send a report to the EAC Secretariat for additional management. He continued by saying that it will be based on the terms of reference established by and led by the May 31^st 2023 Extraordinary Heads of State Summit. The words and references will mostly examine the mission’s objectives, general politics, security, peace and stability, the deployment status of the force, humanitarian assistance, and the EACRF’s past accomplishments.

In one of Uganda’s Contingent Combat Unit teams under the command of Maj. Douglas K. Asiimwe and other staff officers, a physical evaluation of the UPDF’s combat preparedness was conducted to end the exercise.