Multinational military Exercise “Maliza Ugaidi-15” concludes in Uganda

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A multinational and multidimensional Command Post Exercise (CPX) »Maliza Ugaidi15″ that brought together about 300 military personnel, police and civilians from Burundi, Netherlands, Rwanda, Tanzania,Uganda and United States was officially concluded on 13 March 2015 by Uganda State Minister for Defence Hon General Haji Abubaker Jeje Odongo .

The RDF Chief of Defence Staff, General Patrick Nyamvumba attended the closing ceremony held in military barracks, Jinja Municipality.

The Exercise aimed at improving participating forces’ capacity to conduct joint counter violent extremism operations registered high performance from the Participants according to Brigadier General Kenneth H.Moore from United States Army Africa the Deputy Exercise Director. He noted that the Participants demonstrated “professionalism and exceeded my expectations”.

The State Minister for Defence, in his closing remarks hailed the military regional cooperation, the African Union and regional mechanisms in addressing regional problems.“Regional cooperation is a phenomenon well entrenched in the thinking and planning of African Union Peace and Security Architecture”. He noted that within the security architecture, the Region has developed institutions that engender regional cooperation and building capability to work together in order address the problems affecting the Region. He pointed out that within the two weeks, the Participants of Exercise Maliza ugaidi-15 a part from the knowledge they gained, they had also opportunity to exchange experience and build relationships that will last beyond the Exercise.

In her remarks at the closing ceremony, Mrs Patricia Mahoney Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy, Uganda reiterated the interests of the US in safety, security and stability of the African continent.“We care because the promotion of democratic governances that are peaceful, that are stable and respect human rights reflect and advance our own values as a nation. And we also care because advancing security and stability of Africa as a region is in our national interests”; she said in the closing ceremony of the Training Exercise “Maliza Ugaidi-15. The US was co-host and sponsor of the just concluded Exercise.

The Exercise Director, Brig Mathew Gureme of UPDF underlined that the objectives of the exercise were achieved. Within the two weeks of the just concluded Exercise the Participants were trained on how to provide multi-echelon Command and Control of Operations over extended distances and robust terrain, enhance partners’ capabilities to counter violent extremism, practiced the military decision making process, conduct multi-echelon logistical and sustainment planning, build upon lessons learned from previous exercises, enhanced Peace Support Operations capabilities of all partner nations and exercising medical and logistics capabilities in severe environments.

Rwanda had a Contingent of 25 personnel led by Colonel Denis Rutaha.

DESC Comment :

It is surprising that the DRC is the biggest absent of these military exercises while the presence of the Islamic combatants is signaled in the north-eastern part of the country. This shows that on the regional geopolitical plan, the DRC is still a dwarf. This absence of the FARDC, the Congolese army, illustrates the lack of geostrategic vision of the Congolese authorities. It also reflects the lack of confidence shown by the eastern neighbors of the DRC to an army that could create more obstacles to a successful completion of this training instead of contributing to the harmonization of operational strategies.   JJ Wondo / DESC