📷 PICTORIAL: How Uganda handed over ACoC to Libya

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Uganda has handed over the leadership of the African Conference of Commandants (ACoC) of Military Staff Colleges to Libya.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, presided over the event, cautioning member states to maintain impartiality in conducting peace support operations in the conflict-torn countries.   

ACoC is an organization that brings together African Staff Colleges and Military Institutions of Higher Learning with a mission to inform and enhance education, training, and development of military officers to support policy formulation and military standards in Africa.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi said that new wars, violent conflicts and civil unrest seem to be flaring up every week in many parts of Africa and elsewhere. (All Photos by Eddie SSejjoba)

 

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, presided over the event.

It objects to enhance harmonisation, interoperability (the ability of military groups to operate in conjunction with each other), commonality, standardization, and cooperation between African Staff Colleges. 

Gen. Mbadi said experience has shown that in Libya, Somalia and elsewhere, ‘there is always the usual primary need of creating peace first in most conflict situations’. 

“In most situations, there is no peace to keep or peace to support; you have to create it first. Like we went in Somalia, we had to fight first to create that peace you are trying to create or support,” he said.

Mbadi remarked during the closing of the four-day 17th Conference of Commandants (ACoC) of Staff Colleges attended by 64 delegates from 22 African countries at royal Suites in Bugoloobi, Kampala.

Brig. Gen. Nuri Ahmed Maghidr of the State of Libya took over from Uganda’s Major Gen, George Igumba.

 

During the event, Major Gen, George Igumba, the commandant of Uganda Staff College Kimaka, who held the leadership for one year, since November 2022, handed over the mantle to Brig. Gen. Nuri Ahmed Maghidr of the State of Libya. 

Also in attendance was the Libyan ambassador to Uganda, Ibrahim Sultan, among other officials.

 The conference, among other things, resolved to rejuvenate their visibility, cause more integration of the staff colleges and make use of their website to communicate emerging issues. Rwanda was in the meeting endorsed to take over from Libya in 2024.  

Among the Staff colleges that attended the conference were from Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, among others.

Below is a highlight of pictures from the function, all by New Vision’s Eddie Ssejjoba;

Among the Staff colleges that attended the conference were from Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, among others.

The conference, among other things, resolved to rejuvenate their visibility, cause more integration of the staff colleges and make use of their website to communicate emerging issues. Rwanda was in the meeting endorsed to take over from Libya in 2024.

CDF Mbadi with Major Gen, George Igumba, the commandant of Uganda Staff College Kimaka and former chairperson of ACoC.

Officials awarded

Officials interact

Officials salute