East African Military Industry CEOs Convene in Kampala to Strengthen Defense Cooperation

Chief Executive Officers of military industries from the East African Community convened in Kampala to assess the progress of operationalizing jointly utilized defense facilities.

They also scrutinized the implementation status of prior decisions and directives from the sectoral council on defense cooperation.

Lt. Gen James Mugira, the Managing Director of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), emphasized the pivotal role of defense industries in ensuring self-reliance, stressing the importance of such strategic facilities for national sovereignty.

Mugira underscored the necessity for African Armed Forces to develop indigenous defense capabilities to minimize reliance on foreign resupply during wartime, highlighting the imperative of self-sufficiency.

He acknowledged the complexity of the defense sector, citing rapid advancements in science and technology.

Mugira urged EAC member states to collaborate on joint research and development, leveraging science and technology to bolster industrial capabilities and address evolving security threats.

He advocated for intra-regional resource utilization rather than costly outsourcing from abroad.

The meeting, held at Skyz Hotel, Kampala, drew Defense Liaison Officers and CEOs from military industrial facilities across Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.