Gen Kainerugaba Meets North African Regional Capability Executive Secretary

The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has held talks with the Executive Secretary of the North African Regional Capability (NARC), Commodore Fouad Ahmed Hanish, who is in Kampala for the African Defence Chiefs Conference on Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW).

NARC is a regional body whose member states are Algeria, Egypt, Libya, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Tunisia, and Mauritania. Egypt currently holds the rotating chairmanship.

During the meeting, Commodore Hanish briefed General Kainerugaba on the work of the body, and the two discussed areas of mutual interest.

Commodore Hanish also appreciated the CDF and HE President Yoweri Museveni for sustaining peace and stability in Uganda and the region.

The NARC Executive Secretary’s delegation included Colonel Engineer Ahmed Abusanina, and Mr Mehemad Abdo while the UPDF team included Gen Kainerugaba, the UPDF Chief of Joint Staff, Lt Gen Jack Bakasumba, and the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine, Maj Gen Wycliffe Keita.

Both parties reiterated the deep historical ties between Uganda and Libya, particularly within the pan-African framework of cooperation, and looked forward to learning from each other’s experiences during the MOOTW conference.

The meeting was one of several bilateral engagements General Kainerugaba has held on the margins of the conference, which opened on 5th October and runs until the 8th at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. It brings together defence and military operations experts from more than 18 countries, African Union (AU) bodies, and commanders from United Nations (UN) and AU peace support missions.

The conference is discussing how African countries can strengthen their response to emerging and non-traditional security threats.