EAC army forces challenged to combat terrorism, piracy

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, East Africa Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga

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Addressing participants during the closing ceremony of a two-week EAC Armed Forces Command Post Exercise dubbed “Ushirikiano Imara 2017” held at the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces’ Peacekeeping Training Centre based in the city yesterday, he said he encouraged them all to use the knowledge and experience they had gained during the exercise to enhance peacekeeping, peace enforcement and disaster management.

Dar es Salaam. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, East Africa Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, has challenged East African Community (EAC) army forces to combat terrorism, piracy and human trafficking in the region.

Addressing participants during the closing ceremony of a two-week EAC Armed Forces Command Post Exercise dubbed “Ushirikiano Imara 2017” held at the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces’ Peacekeeping Training Centre based in the city yesterday, he encouraged them all to use the knowledge and experience they had gained during the exercise to enhance peacekeeping, peace enforcement and disaster management.

During the closing ceremony  the minister, Dr Mahiga handed over presents to participants for their participation.

The command post exercise, which was launched on December 7, this year, by the Tanzanian Minister of Defence and National Service, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, was held in the context of the EAC Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs.

The areas of cooperation include military training, joint operations, technical cooperation and exchange of information.

Delivering his speech, TPDF Chief of Staff James Mwakibolwa, on behalf of Chief of the Defence Forces Venance Mabeyo, said “terrorism is a major military threat, as it deliberately targets civilians to disgrace governments, so that they can start accusing their governments of failing to protect their people”.