Ronaldo N Kalangi and Andrew Irumba
The 2018 military Command Post Exercise (CPX) code named ‘Justified Accord 2018’ was flagged off on Monday at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) at Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja.
The annual joint and combined exercise which brings together Eastern Africa Partners, the US, European Union and other International Organisations was organized under the theme “Together for a peaceful world”, loosely translated in Swahili as, ‘Pamoja kwenye dunia yenye amaani’. Participants were told to cooperate and develop a shared understanding of the peace keeping mission in Somalia.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Monday, UPDF’s Commander Land Forces Maj Gen Peter Elwelu said partner states stood a high a chance of learning about the complex security situation in Somalia if they shared ideas.
Maj Gen Elwelu, who represented the Chief of Defence Forces Gen David Muhoozi, commended the US Government, European Union, Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other International Partners involved in the stabilization of Somalia for tirelessly supporting the peace keeping mission in Somalia. Elwelu said the restoration of peace in Somalia is important not only to Somalis but also to the region and beyond.
He said sponsoring the exercise will add a point to the stabilization of Somalia and create peace in the world for development and socio-economic transformation to prevail.
He further emphasized that the security environment has changed and we need to work together to create a peaceful world.
The Deputy Commanding General of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) Brig Gen William Zana thanked AMISOM TCCs for pacifying Somalia and noted that increasing interoperability was key to a secure Africa.
He urged all Partners to take advantage of the exercise and learn something that can be used to mitigate the challenges and threats in the world.
“Partnerships, readiness and interoperability are important for the survival of any mission,” Brig Zana noted.
The Commandant of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre, Maj Gen Nakibus Lakara, said AMISOM TCCs have registered progress in the pacification of Somalia which has to be strengthened continuously.
He tasked all participants to provide platforms that can be used to understand the different cultures and create avenues for the defence of diplomacy.
The Command Post Exercise Director Brig James Ruhesi said the exercise mainly aims at increasing interoperability and strengthening relations with Partners in the region so that peace and stability can be preserved.
This year’s CPX Justified Accord has contingents from US, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Somalia. The International Community is represented by the Red Cross, United Nations and African Union.
