The Chiefs of Defence Intelligence of Eastern Africa States met Thursday at Protea Hotel Skyz in Kampala to discuss security issues affecting the nations and the region as a whole.
The two-day meeting focused on adopting new measures in managing the volatile security environment, proper assessment of the security risks and a conducive environment/ platform to enhance Defence Cooperation, among other issues.
The Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Peter Elwelu, in his opening remarks, noted that the meeting comes at a time when the region is experiencing dynamic environmental threats that present major challenges to collective security like climate change, pandemics, terrorism, cross-border and organised crime, small arms proliferation and cyber security, among many others threats.
“Entire Africa faces almost similar challenges, therefore, coming together will help deal with these challenges that threaten the survival of states,” Gen Elwelu noted.
He explained that without Intelligence, the region cannot do much; citing that the Israelites in the bible had to send Intelligence first to get to know what was happening there.
“Intelligence has been there since time immemorial. Without Intelligence, we are not able to do much,” he said.
He advocated for mutual trust among all stakeholder states to be able to look into the threats objectively and find ways of handling them as a region.
In his remarks, Maj Gen James Birungi, Uganda’s Chief of Military Intelligence and Chair of the meeting, noted that Uganda is peaceful and stable despite some threats to national security which its own security forces, in collaboration with other stakeholders, are effectively dealing with.
“Meanwhile, the country is on a firm steady path of social-economic transformation and prosperity for the good of its people and the region,” he emphasised.
He further explained that Uganda and the rest of the regional states remain secure and socio-economically healthy and will continue to grow from strength to strength.
“In a very special way, I would like to commend the decision of the inaugural meeting for choosing Uganda as the host for this meeting,” he remarked.
He noted that Uganda, like any other country, continues to be affected by global security dynamics, including the constantly changing and transnational nature of threats.
Maj Gen Birungi stated that addressing these threats requires new ways of thinking and strategies. He added that closer partnerships will help all stakeholders at all levels.
“I hope that this forum will contribute to the overall efforts of ensuring peace and stability in the region and beyond,” he said.
He thanked the Chiefs and Heads of Defence Intelligence present for their commitment to the African Union Agenda 2063, which in his words “aspires for a peaceful and secure Africa”.
Gen Birungi concluded by saying that Uganda on its part continues to support all initiatives geared towards regional stability and seeks the support of other partner states and stakeholders.
In attendance were; representatives from the Republic of Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Federal Democratic Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Eritrea, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania.
