The inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Forces Conference on Military Operations Other Than War has opened in Kampala, bringing together defence and military operations experts to discuss how African countries can strengthen their response to emerging and non-traditional security threats.
The conference has convened participants from more than 18 countries, African Union regional bodies, and Force Commanders from United Nations and African Union peace support missions.
While opening the conference, the Chief of Joint Staff of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Lieutenant General Jack Bakasumba, said Africa’s security environment has changed significantly, requiring militaries to adapt to a broad range of threats, including terrorism, organised crime, cyber warfare, public health emergencies and climate-related crises.
“Across Africa and the wider global arena, the security landscape has evolved away from interstate warfare, shifting instead toward a challenging matrix of interstate conflict and complex non-traditional threats,” he said.
Lt Gen Bakasumba said military personnel are increasingly required to operate under systemic constraints, including inadequate training, specialised equipment, functional early-warning systems and clear standard operating procedures.
“It was in response to this emerging security reality that this conference on Military Operations Other Than War was planned,” he said.
He said the conference was intended to go beyond discussions of familiar security challenges by developing practical and coordinated mechanisms for responding to emerging threats.
“It is our regional cooperation that must be enhanced. It is our standard operating procedures that require standardisation. It is our training and equipment procurement that should be streamlined,” he said.
Lt Gen Bakasumba also emphasised the need for improved information sharing, joint communications and rapidly deployable capabilities to enable African countries to respond effectively when crises emerge.
“We must establish mechanisms that extend beyond discussions and conferences and can be translated into concrete standard operating procedures, training, early-warning systems, joint communications, information sharing and deployable capabilities,” he said.
He urged African countries to move beyond policy discussions and strengthen collective capacity to address emerging security threats.
“We gather here today with a shared belief that Africa must strengthen its African-led, practical and coordinated responses to these emerging threats,” he said.
Lt Gen Bakasumba underscored the importance of Pan-African cooperation in addressing security challenges and commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, regional leaders, defence chiefs, Regional Economic Communities and development partners for their contribution to peace and security on the continent.
“It is this togetherness, driven by the spirit of Pan-Africanism, that has improved and sustained regional peace and security,” he said.
The conference is expected to build national and regional capacity to address Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) scenarios, while strengthening collaboration, partnerships and defence diplomacy across the continent.