Uganda’s Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Sam Okiding, has called on African militaries to strengthen intelligence-led, coordinated and proactive operations as security threats increasingly move beyond conventional warfare.
Okiding made the call on Wednesday while opening the Chiefs of Defence Intelligence and Security meeting held as part of the inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Forces Conference on Military Operations Other Than War in Munyonyo, Kampala.
He said the changing security environment had placed military operations other than war at the centre of national and regional security strategies, requiring African militaries to rethink how they prepare for and respond to emerging threats.
“Military operations in the world are no longer secondary. They are at the forefront of national and regional security strategies,” Okiding said.
He identified humanitarian crises, terrorism, transnational organised crime, irregular migration and climate change among the emerging challenges requiring stronger intelligence and coordinated responses.
According to Okiding, actionable intelligence remains critical to both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, enabling security agencies to anticipate threats and respond more effectively rather than relying solely on conventional military approaches.
He also called for sustained efforts to build resilience, warning that addressing emerging security threats should not be treated as a one-time intervention.
“We must elevate our strategy, redefine our training and modernise our equipment properly. We must fundamentally shift our mindset. This is not a question of capacity; it is a matter of strategy and theory,” he said.
Okiding urged African countries to adopt deliberate, practical and systematic approaches to security, while modernising military equipment, reviewing training programmes and adapting operational strategies to changing threats.
He said African interests and the welfare of the continent’s population must remain at the heart of military and security decisions.
“We did not gather to learn new concepts, but to redefine our approach to military operations other than war,” Okiding said.
He called on implementing agencies to translate the conference resolutions into concrete actions and work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes have practical impact at national, regional and continental levels.
Okiding commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, UPDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and other African military leaders for promoting regional partnerships and efforts to strengthen cooperation among African armed forces.
The inaugural conference brings together African defence chiefs and senior military leaders to examine military operations other than war and develop stronger mechanisms for responding collectively to emerging security challenges.
The opening session was attended by UPDF Chief of Joint Staff Lt Gen Jack Bakasumba, senior UPDF officers, delegates from African countries, representatives of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, among other participants.
Source: Defence Press Unit