As the East Africa community moves towards common integration, the sectoral council cooperation in defence has approved plans to carry out two major multinational EAC military exercises to take place in Tanzania during September and the in Uganda in October this year.

The joint military exercises will bring together armies from the bloc’s states that include Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.     

During the meeting in the northern Tanzanian town of Arusha, last week, the council called for more exchange of visits and sharing of expertise among partner states.

The Council chaired by Rwanda’s Minister for Defence Gen.Marcel Gatsinzi sat after a meeting of the Defence Experts Working Group (DEWG).

According to a release from the EAC, the defence chiefs underscored the necessity for greater shared utilization of each other’s defence technical facilities; and the requirement to upgrade and expand the secure communication system in the region to include new entrants; Rwanda and Burundi.

In her remarks, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of political federation, Beatrice Kiraso emphasized the inter-relationship between the processes within the defence sector and the other elements of political federation. She reiterated the fact that EAC’s collective security will be best guaranteed by cooperation in defence and security.

The meeting attracted senior defence chiefs from all the five member states of the EAC.

Ends