President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged African countries to strengthen their economies, political cohesion and regional integration, saying these are critical foundations for the continent’s security and defence capabilities.
President Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), said African countries can build stronger and safer societies by expanding production, securing wider markets and working together through regional and continental integration.
He made the remarks on Thursday while closing the inaugural Conference of African Defence Chiefs on Military Operations Other Than War at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
The four-day conference, which started on October 5, was hosted by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, under the theme: “Strengthening Adaptive Noncombatant Military Response to Emerging Complex Security Threats in Africa.”
Addressing defence and intelligence chiefs and force commanders, President Museveni said a strong defence force depends on the strength of a country’s economy, political system and strategic position.
He said Uganda’s economic strength should be built around wealth creation in commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services and information and communication technology (ICT).
“Producing goods and services alone is not enough,” he said, emphasising the need for countries to develop wider markets capable of absorbing increased production.
Bigger markets
President Museveni said Uganda’s growing production of sugar, milk, maize and industrial products had demonstrated the limitations of relying solely on the domestic market.
He said regional and continental markets would give African producers greater opportunities to sell their products, create wealth and sustain economic growth.
He said this informed Uganda’s advocacy for Pan-Africanism, the East African common market and the Continental Free Trade Area, arguing that economic integration should complement political cooperation.
“A common market of Africa or in its regions would address the issue of the wealth creators’ prosperity by creating a huge and guaranteed market for them,” he said.
The President also linked economic integration to continental security, saying stronger political and economic cooperation would improve Africa’s ability to defend itself.
He cited the proposed East African Political Federation as an opportunity to strengthen collective defence, including the possibility of an East African Federal Army capable of operating on land, at sea, in the air and in space.
He said countries in the region could achieve more by pooling their resources and capabilities than by attempting to address strategic security challenges individually.
Private sector
President Museveni said African countries must also clearly define who should drive wealth creation, arguing that the private sector should take the lead while governments provide infrastructure, security and an enabling environment.
He said correctly answering questions around wealth creation, political cohesion and national strategy would shape the continent’s development and stability.
He also highlighted the contribution of defence forces to national development beyond conventional warfare.
According to President Museveni, the UPDF has contributed to infrastructure development, agriculture, manufacturing and public health initiatives, while continuing to maintain military preparedness during peacetime.
He encouraged investors to come to Africa, support the continent’s growing production and buy African products.
The conference brought together defence chiefs from 18 countries and commanders from several international peace support missions, including the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, the United Nations missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Abyei and South Sudan.
Participants discussed emerging security challenges including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, drones, peace support operations, climate change, disaster management, pandemics, border security and protection of critical infrastructure.
Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs Kiryowa Kiwanuka said the conference had come at an important time as Africa faces increasingly complex security threats.
He said the meeting would strengthen cooperation, information sharing and preparedness among African defence forces.
