U.S. Hands Over $3.7M Training Auditorium to Boost Uganda’s Peacekeeping Capacity

The United States has officially handed over a state-of-the-art $3.7 million auditorium to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), marking a major boost to the country’s peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

The facility, located at the International Peace Support Operations Training Centre (IPSOTC) in Singo, will serve as a hub for training and professional military education, with a capacity to accommodate over 1,500 personnel.

Equipped with advanced audio-visual and IT systems, the auditorium also includes additional office space, storage, and conference rooms to host large-scale UPDF activities such as meetings, workshops, and crisis response planning.

This latest investment follows the U.S. government’s delivery of a $5.5 million United Nations Level 2 Hospital in October 2024 and a $1.5 million vehicle maintenance facility in December 2024—part of broader efforts to enhance UPDF’s operational readiness and regional peacekeeping leadership.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Lt Gen Jack Bakasumba, UPDF Chief of Joint Staff, hailed the United States as a reliable and long-standing partner.

“This partnership, which began in 2007, has significantly strengthened our peace mission capabilities,” he said, reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to international peace and rapid deployment readiness.

The facility was officially handed over by Mr. Palmer Phillip, Director of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), under which the project was funded. U.S. Defence Attaché to Uganda, Lt Col Chris Noumba, described the handover as “a milestone in deepening military-to-military ties and reinforcing Uganda’s global peacekeeping contributions.”

Brig Gen John Patrick Otongo, Commandant of IPSOTC, credited both Ugandan and U.S. engineering teams for completing the project and acknowledged the vision of Lt Gen Bakasumba and Mr. Palmer, who conceived the project in 2018.

Other dignitaries present included senior UPDF officers such as Brig Gen Wycliffe Keita, Brig Gen Edward Mutaawe, Brig Gen Michael Ssesanga, as well as Ms. Naomi Doreen, Deputy Director for Africa Programs at GPOI, Maj Aaron Kuiper, and Mr. Curtis Crum.

The auditorium further solidifies U.S. support through key programs like the African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP) and GPOI initiatives that continue to empower African nations like Uganda to lead and sustain peacekeeping operations across the continent.