Gen Mbadi, Lt Gen Walker Discuss Deepening Uganda-UK Defence Cooperation

The Chief of Defence Forces, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, has held discussions with Lieutenant General Roly Walker, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) for His Majesty’s Armed Forces (United Kingdom) at a meeting held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters, Mbuya.

General Mbadi and his counterpart Lt Gen Walker discussed various issues aimed at understanding the different security perspectives on key issues and deepening the existing levels of defence cooperation between the two-Armed Forces in an effort to cope with the ever-dynamic security challenges.

Uganda and the United Kingdom enjoy long-standing relations with the UPDF and the UK Armed Forces are at the heart of this cooperation. This co-operation has been through different aspects.

The UPDF has a long tradition of sending its junior officers and officer cadets to the UK military academies for training.

The United Kingdom Armed Forces have equally offered training to UPDF troops especially those involved in Peacekeeping Missions in Somalia and they also in the recent past trained UPDF Communications Officers and media staff on media planning and strategic communication.

Present at the meeting were the Commander of Land Force Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Brig Gen Abdul Rugumayo, the Defence Spokesperson Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, the Military Assistant to the CDF Brig Gen Tingira Irumba while Lt Gen Walker was accompanied by Brig Gen Ronnie Walker, Lt Col Barrington Barnes, Lt Col Damian Flanagan, Mr. Simon Tucker, among others.