Gen Mbadi Underlines Training as Key for African Peace Support Operations

The Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Gen Wilson Mbadi, has emphasized the importance of military training in order for Africa to take charge of its own security architecture. Gen Mbadi made these remarks while officiating at the closure of the 17th edition of the African Conference of Staff Commandants (ACoC), held at Royal Suites in Bugolobi, near Kampala.

“The readiness of our forces through training for all forms of peace support operations is vital if we are to confidently take charge of African security architecture,” Gen Mbadi stated. He also added, “In all conflict situations, there is no peace to either keep or support, you have to create it first.”

Gen Mbadi expressed optimism that with the theme of this year’s ACoC, the members are on track to assuming responsibility for Africa’s security architecture.

“With this conference’s theme, I have every reason to believe that our security architecture will be shaped by our educational needs and achievements,” Gen Mbadi emphasized.

Furthermore, the CDF highlighted the need to align the syllabi of African armies through ACoC, which would benefit joint peacekeeping and other deserving operations. Gen Mbadi emphasized the importance of proper syllabi and training, stating, “While science rules, military science conquers.”

The 17th conference, themed ‘Aligning peace support operations training in Africa to Contemporary security scenarios,’ aims to enhance harmonization, interoperability, commonality, standardization, and cooperation among African countries and their military institutions of higher learning. The objectives of the association include contributing to African security through the development and transformation of education and training in the military environment, as well as enhancing cooperation among African staff colleges through benchmarking.

Referring to the World Economic Forum, the CDF noted the alarming rise of new wars, violent conflicts, and civil unrest every week, with only eleven countries reported to be conflict-free. “Unfortunately,” Gen Mbadi remarked, “most of these conflicts are on the African continent.”

The CDF also drew attention to the hundreds of millions of people who have been displaced due to conflicts and disasters, citing Uganda as an example, which currently hosts 1.5 million refugees.

The conference, attended by 64 representatives from 21 member states, took place both physically and virtually. Among the participants were representatives from Mauritania, Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Libya, Zambia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda among others.

Observers from the African Centre for Strategic Studies were also present.

During the closure, Maj Gen George Igumba who is the Commandant of UPDF’s Senior Command and Staff College handed over the chairmanship of ACoC to his Libyan counterpart, Nuri Ahmed Maghidr. The leadership of this association is rotation on an annual basis.