Posted in Peace & Security
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th February 2018:
The first East African Community Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities prior to the Army Day in Uganda known as Tarehe Sita was held in Bukedi sub-region in Eastern Uganda.
The event, which was held under the theme Reaffirming the Contribution of the Armed Forces towards Regional Integration for our Strategic Security, Development and Prosperity, ran from 30th January to 6th February, 2018 and was in line with the decisions of the Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence held on 24th November, 2017 in Kampala, Uganda.
For the first time, the Armed Forces of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania joined the hosts Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) during the weeklong Tarehe Sita activities.
Civil military activities were conducted by the medical and engineering contingents of all the forces in all the districts of Butaleja, Pallisa, Budaka, Kibuku, Tororo and Busia. The other UPDF formations and units including those deployed abroad carried out various activities in support of communities in their areas of operation.
The main celebrations were held today held today at Boma Grounds in Butaleja district and attended by, among others, Honourable Ministers of Defence from the Partner States; Principal/Permanent Secretaries of Defence; Members of the East African Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament of Uganda; Chiefs of the Defence Forces from EAC Partner States; Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Service Commanders and General Officers; Defence Liaison Officers at the EAC Headquarters; Members of the Defence Forces Contingents of the EAC Partner States and the general public.
Addressing participants at the event, the EAC Secretary General Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko, who was represented by his Deputy in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, said the CIMIC week was held under the spirit of the EAC Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs whose four pillars include military training, joint operations, technical cooperation, visits and exchange of information.
Mr. Njoroge disclosed that during the Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence meeting held on 16th November, 2012, the need to enhance Civil Military Cooperation by conducting CIMIC activities during respective Partner States’ Armed Forces Day was considered and approved.
The Secretary General further noted that during the meeting of 2nd December, 2016, the Sectoral Council directed that CIMIC activities prior to Partner States Armed Forces Day be organized once annually on rotational basis commencing in the Financial Year 2017/18.
Amb. Mfumukeko commended the Republic of Uganda and the UPDF for accepting to host the first EAC Armed Forces Day that was preceded by a week of CIMIC activities and involved the Armed Forces from the EAC Partner States.
He expressed gratitude to the support and leadership by the EAC members of the Summit of Heads of State, the Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence and the Heads of the Defence Forces for making the event a great success.
The Secretary General expressed appreciation to the Defence Forces for consolidating and spearheading the EAC integration agenda.
“The planning and execution of the CIMIC activities is a testimony to further strengthening the cause of East African Community unity, common defence, security, peace and development. It is also great inspiration to the people of East Africa to see members of the Armed Forces from different Partner States participating together,” said the Secretary General.
“We need unity, peace, stability and strength to defend our common interests as East Africans. This will in effect provide a conducive and attractive environment for investment and development and prosperity in the region. While partnership with the International Community is important, Africans and more so East Africans, we have to find lasting solutions to our own problems. To this effect, the EAC Cooperation in Defence offers such great scope and prospects,” added the Secretary General.
Notes to Editors
CIMIC activities are designed and conducted to support national development agenda, enhance civil-military cooperation, improve rural economic transformation, improve health, reduce poverty, conserve the environment and ensure food security in order to win the people’s hearts and minds. In this first edition, CIMIC activities were conducted in the fields of health and engineering services.
The East African region continues to be faced with real and potential complex emergencies, which can easily translate into threats to the social economic, cultural and political wellbeing of the people of East Africa. These threats range from natural to man-made disaster, poverty and disease, porous borders and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, internal strife, terrorism and insecurity in states neighboring the Community. These dangers to human life and development cannot be under estimated. It is for these reasons that it is very important to develop the East African Community’s capacity to handle such emergencies and threats.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 2008:9001 Certified
Posted in Peace & Security
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 11th December, 2017:
A two-weeks East African Community Armed Forces Command Post Exercise dubbed Ushirikiano Imara 2017 is ongoing at the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces’ Peace Keeping Training Centre in Kunduchi in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The Command Post Exercise is being held in the context of the East African Community Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs. The Areas of cooperation embedded in the Protocol on four pillars include; military training, joint operations, technical cooperation, and visits and exchange of information.
Addressing the official opening session of the exercise on 7th December, Tanzania’s Minister of Defence and National Service, Hon. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi commended the EAC Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence and the Partner States for implementing some of the provisions of the Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs.
He also commended the EAC Secretariat and the Partner States for the excellent arrangements put in place to conduct the exercise in Dar es Salaam, saying, “the commitments put in are a testimony of the importance the region puts in the exercise and regional integration agenda”.
The guest of honor urged the participants to exhibit utmost commitment and discipline in order to reap maximum benefit to their respective Partner States and the region as a whole.
Addressing the same occasion, Uganda’s Defence Minister and Chairperson of the EAC Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence, Hon. Adolf Mwesige said the objective of the Command Post Exercise was to enhance the ability of the EAC Partner States’ Defence Forces and other key stakeholders to work together in an operational theatre.
“This Exercise offers a platform on which to evaluate the readiness of the EAC Partner States’ Defence Forces and key stakeholders to respond to complex security challenges. It also avails an opportunity to practice the EAC Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Peace Support Operations, Disaster Management, Counter Terrorism and Counter Piracy operations” noted Uganda’s Minister of Defence.
He noted that the changing security environment in the region and globally calls for regular training that is well coordinated especially where threats do not respect borders.
The Chairperson expressed his gratitude to the Summit of EAC Heads of State and the Sectoral Council on Cooperation in Defence for excellent leadership and guidance the sector has always received, which has enabled it to achieve so many milestones within a short time.
He appreciated the EAC Defence Forces for the good camaraderie exhibited in preparing for the Exercise, which further strengthens the cause of East African Community unity, common defence, security, peace and development.
On his part, the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, who represented the Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, said the Exercise was designed to practice participants from the military, civil police and civilians in the planning and conduct of Peace Support Operations, Disaster Management, Counter Terrorism and Counter Piracy operations with the purpose of enhancing the capabilities of the Partner States’ Defence forces to combat complex security challenges.
He said the Security challenges within the region are addressed through such military exercises that help the Armies build required capabilities. “It must be mentioned here that the EAC Defence Forces have gone beyond exercises and are operating together in several missions such like AMISOM in Somalia,” said the DSG.
The EAC official reiterated that the Military Exercise was being held at a time when the EAC integration process was intensifying on all fronts. “Our Community has strengthened its Customs Union and is now a Single Customs Territory, Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade along our major corridors have come down and Intra EAC trade has grown. Significant progress has been made on the type of Political Federation East Africa will have, which is the Ultimate aim of our Community”.
Mr. Njoroge informed the guests that all Partner States were being represented in the exercise except for the new member, the Republic of South Sudan which sent an apology, was represented by the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Major General Simon Ananias.
Present at the official opening were; Members of the East African Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament of Tanzania; Chiefs of the Defence Forces; Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Service Commanders and General Officers; Defence Liaison Officers at the EAC Headquarters; Members of the Defence Forces Contingents of the EAC Partner States, Civil Police and Civilians
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 2008:9001 Certified
