The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Wilson Mbadi on Tuesday called for the building of stronger and sustainable collaborative relationships to realize the Pan African agenda, most especially among militaries.
Gen Mbadi made the remark while meeting the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, who had made a courtesy call to his Defence counterpart at the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.
He cited the Pan African history shared by both leaders of the Uganda and Ghana that still propel the Pan Africanist agenda to date, as envisioned by the former Prime Minister and President of Ghana Nkwame Nkrumah – an influential advocate of Pan Africanism.
“You have stood with us in professional military education and professionalism especially the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) and Kofi Annan Peace Keeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC). Many here are colleagues in Teshi and know the tricks, secrets and have enjoyed both drinks from West Africa especially Brukina and Palava sauce,” he remarked.
The CDF highlighted that both countries are proponents of professional military education and still strive for Pan Africanism to enhance harmonization, interoperability and cooperation between African militaries.
He added that: “Continued collaborative arrangements are the best formidable tool for eventual social economic transformation of the continent.”
“When others are busy tearing at each other, let us emphasize nobilities of strong alliances in military trust, respect, integration and pulling of resources, research and innovation, and political federation of regional blocks for security and defence, among other things,” Gen Mbadi stressed.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, who is in Uganda to give a lecture of opportunity on Peace Support Operations in Africa at the 17th African Conference of Commandants, congratulated Uganda upon establishing its own defence college; adding that at an appropriate time Ghana will benchmark from Uganda when implementing their own defence college.
Amoama acknowledged that both Ghana and Uganda enjoy cordial relations ranging from diplomatic, political to military cooperation as the highest.
“A number of senior officers here were trained from Ghana Staff College. Let us explore to deepen the relationship so that we benefit from what we have. I thank you for inviting me to share and impart some experience and opinion 2021 with the commandants. I am hopeful that at the end of the day it will be a successful conference,” Vice Admiral Seth Amoama noted.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, Joint Chief of Staff Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, Chief of Staff Air-Force Brig Gen David Gonyi, Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Brig Gen Abdul Rugumayo, Chief of Training and Recruitment Brig Gen Mathew Gureme, and Chief of Military Policy and Strategy Brig Gen Irumba Tingira, among others.