President Jakaya Kikwete declared here yesterday that colonial borders will never again be catalysts of regional conflicts among African nations. He was inaugurating the first ever conducted joint military exercise of the East African armed forces. President Kikwete who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces (TPDF), made the declaration on top of Nadosoito hill, Monduli District, where he had climbed to get a vantage view of various joint army bases below.
“All these borderlines were drawn by colonialists, Africa is one and East Africa is even more united than before. there could be some minor misunderstandings, but none will ever drive any of member states into war,” Mr Kikwete told journalists during a brief interview.
The Defence Forces of the EAC Partner States of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi have embarked on a field training exercise involving 1,556 infantry battalions codenamed Ex Mlima Kilimanjaro 2009 in Arusha and Tanga regions.
The exercise which runs from September 3 to 26, is the first-ever Field Training Exercise to be conducted by the five EAC Armed Forces and is fully funded by the Partner States, pursuant to the EAC Treaty, the MoU on Co-operation in Defence and the Council decisions.
The “Ex-Mlima Kilimanjaro 2009 involves three themes of Peace Support Operations, Counter Terrorism and Disaster Management, in order to enhance mutual understanding on how to handle such problems in a typical East African situation.
It also involves provision of medical and veterinary services, as well as some humanitarian activities at Arkatani and Musuberi villages in Monduli District and Pangani District in Tanga Region.
The Partner States Forces will also undertake renovation and re-construction of various public infrastructures in both Arusha and Tanga regions. The purpose of the exercise is to develop the capacity of the East African Community Armed Forces, as well as other stake-holders in peace support and anti/counter terrorism operations, as well as disaster management and crisis response capability.
The exercise is also expected to enhance mutual understanding within the forces of the region.The Exercise Director, Major General Samson Kisamba, said that the exercise would also involve construction and rehabilitation of schools and dispensaries, distribution of food in drought stricken areas and malaria and dental diagnosis.
The EAC Deputy Secretary General, in-charge of political co-operation, Ms Beatrice Kilaso, said that her secretariat was preparing a protocol of defence co-operation after exhausting the MoU.
She said the exercise was also part of the commemoration of 10th anniversary of the EAC and that there will be an international peace conference from November 5 to 7 this year, followed by another military exercise codenamed Natural Fire to be held in Guru, Uganda, on November 15, this year.
Daily News
Post published in: Uncategorized