Japan to train UPDF personnel in operating heavy engineering equipment  

The Government of Japan will offer nonlethal support to Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) manned by the Uganda Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.

The support announced in Kampala on Friday at the Uganda Media Centre comes via the United Nations Project for Africa Rapid Deployment of Engineering Capabilities and will see Japanese mobile teams build further the engineering capacity of the UPDF.

“Uganda is delighted that the government of Japan is offering nonlethal support to the UN peacekeeping operations with third countries providing the platform to operate from. This triangular partnership with United Nations and other supported countries especially   Africa will go a long way in strengthening our capacities to respond to situations that threaten peace and stability,” said Adolf Mwesige, Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs.

“Our desire is now to maintain this strong partnership and also where possible, get equipment that can form a strong and robust Military Engineering Company that can be rapidly deployed anywhere on a UN mandated mission,” he said.

The minister said that since 1986 when the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power, Uganda has contributed to international peace and security.

He mentioned that the first ever peace support mission abroad was the deployment of an Infantry Battalion in 1994 under late Maj Gen Levi Karuhanga to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to bring peace and stability in Liberia.

“Other peace support operations and limited deployments have been in Burundi, Ivory Coast and South Sudan and to a very large scale in Somalia since 2007 under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). This participation by Uganda even at the infant stage of its Army, is a demonstration of Uganda’s total commitment to play its’ rightful role as a member of the United Nations (UN), and we applaud the UPDF for taking on this huge, task which has greatly contributed to peace and security not only in the country but a greater part of the region,” he said.

The minister however said that Uganda’s efforts many times have met some challenges that delay the troops to settle down in the mission area. “These include limited capacity, for example, to rapidly clear ground and establish camps, provide purified water, establish proper sanitation,” he said.

And added that it is the realisation of such among some countries that the United Nations agreed to support the establishment of engineering units by training deployable forces on the use of heavy equipment thus building capacity of individual countries. “Uganda has established the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) to focus on such training and members of the press are welcome to visit the facility,” he said, reiterating that Uganda government is ready to offer troops for peace keeping operations.

The Japanese Ambassador to Uganda Kazuaki Kameda while addressing journalists said that the Japan Self-Defense Forces will come to Uganda for the first time ever to support the UPDF by dispatching 22 instructors who will from August 26-September 18, 2019 train the engineering personnel of UPDF in Jinja. The training sessions will equip UPDF personnel in operating heavy engineering equipment.