The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to international peacekeeping, with the military highlighting training, technology and international partnerships as key pillars in strengthening peace operations.
The commitment was reiterated by the Director of Women Affairs in the UPDF, Brig Gen Charity Bainababo, on Saturday during the closing ceremony of the 17th Women’s Outreach Course and the 12th United Nations Peacekeeping Micro-UAS Remote Pilot Course held at the UN Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
Brig Gen Bainababo said Uganda’s involvement in peacekeeping programmes forms part of the country’s wider efforts to promote peace and security in the region and beyond.
“Uganda believes in common security because we are alive to the fact that when our brothers and sisters are in trouble, so are we. These initiatives reinforce our shared commitment to peace, security and cooperation, while strengthening the preparedness of those serving in peace operations worldwide,” she said.
She also announced that Uganda is set to host the inaugural Conference of Chiefs of Defence Forces, where the UPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and other military chiefs will discuss Military Operations Other Than War.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for defence leaders to exchange experiences and explore approaches to military operations that go beyond conventional warfare, including support to peace, security and other humanitarian and stabilisation efforts.
Brig Gen Bainababo commended the participants who completed the Women’s Outreach Course, saying their training demonstrated the growing role of women in international peace operations.
The course brought together participants drawn from seven missions, African Union operations and 14 member states, giving the trainees an opportunity to strengthen their technical, leadership and operational capabilities.
“These women have worked hard to strengthen their technical expertise, leadership and operational readiness. Their accomplishments are significant as women continue to make essential contributions to peacekeeping,” she said.
She urged the graduates to ensure that the knowledge acquired during the training translates into practical improvements in their respective missions rather than remaining on certificates.
“Let the knowledge not remain on paper, on the certificate that you have acquired. Let it be seen from the way you operate, from the way you interact with your colleagues and from the way you interact with technology. Be a student forever, because this technology that you have learnt here keeps evolving,” Brig Gen Bainababo said.
She also challenged the graduates of the Micro-UAS Remote Pilot Course to use their specialised skills responsibly to improve the effectiveness and safety of peacekeeping operations.
Micro-UAS technology can provide peacekeepers with additional information about operational environments, helping them to improve situational awareness and make more informed decisions while reducing the exposure of personnel to danger.
“In each one of you, a candle has been lit. Go hold it out for all to see. We can only get the value of this course through your actions, through your application of the skills,” she said.
The Ambassador of France to Uganda, Virginie Leroy, reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting United Nations peacekeeping through training, technology and international cooperation.
Ambassador Leroy said strong international partnerships remain central to building sustainable peacekeeping capabilities, noting that the partnership supporting the training had recently been renewed until 2029.
She said the cooperation is also expanding into areas such as Information and Communication Technology and advanced aircraft systems training.
“The Women’s Outreach Course has enabled women worldwide to believe in themselves, to gain confidence, strengthen their technical and leadership skills and build networks as they prepare for future roles in peace operations,” Leroy said.
She commended Uganda for its continued support to United Nations training activities and recognised the contribution of the different international partners involved in the programmes.
On the Micro-UAS training, Leroy said the use of remotely piloted aircraft is becoming increasingly important in modern peacekeeping because of its ability to provide commanders and personnel with better information about their surroundings.
“Technology can help peacekeepers understand operational environments, improve situational awareness, support mission effectiveness and, for all of you, reduce casualties,” she said.
Leroy also thanked the Government of Canada for supporting the women’s training programme and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for its support to the Micro-UAS programme.
She described the cooperation between Uganda, the United Nations and international partners as an example of how multilateral partnerships can strengthen peacekeeping capabilities.
The French ambassador urged the graduates to pass on the knowledge they had acquired to colleagues in their respective missions while maintaining high professional standards.
“Please continue ensuring excellence, sharing your knowledge and serving with professionalism,” she said.
Representing UNMAS, Philippe Raymond Eugene Renard described the Micro-UAS training as an important first step in a wider initiative aimed at strengthening unmanned aerial systems capabilities across United Nations peacekeeping operations.
“We have a solid project, and this training marks the first step in its implementation,” Renard said.
He encouraged the trainees to become technical ambassadors within their respective organisations by helping military and mission leadership understand the capabilities of UAS technology and how it can be responsibly integrated into operations.
The two courses brought together 21 participants drawn from seven missions, African Union operations and 14 member states.
The training comes as peacekeeping missions increasingly seek to combine traditional military and operational skills with technology, gender inclusion and specialised capabilities to respond to complex security environments.
The continued involvement in UN peacekeeping and related training programmes also reinforces the UPDF’s long-standing participation in international peace operations, while providing opportunities for Ugandan personnel and other participating officers to acquire specialised skills that can be applied in missions across different regions.
