The Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Major General Richard Otto, has briefed members of the Diplomatic Corps ahead of the forthcoming African Chiefs of Defence Forces Conference on Military Operations Other Than War, scheduled to take place from 5 to 8 October 2026 in Kampala at the Chieftaincy of Defence Intelligence and Security in Mbuya
“The purpose of this meeting is to formally inform you about an upcoming conference that Uganda will host and to provide you with an understanding of what is taking place,” he said.
The conference is expected to bring together Chiefs of Defence Forces from African countries, senior representatives of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, as well as Force Commanders of United Nations and African Union peace support missions operating in Africa.
Maj Gen Otto said the conference comes at a time when the strategic security environment is changing, with threats increasingly moving beyond conventional, state-centric warfare.
“The strategic environment has shifted from conventional, state-centric warfare towards complex international threats, intra-state conflicts and non-traditional security challenges,” he said.
He explained that Uganda considered it important to host the conference to provide a platform for African defence leaders and other stakeholders to reflect on emerging security challenges and the practical demands of military operations other than war.
“First of all, this is a pioneering initiative on the continent. It was conceptualised as an institutional introspection and a premier platform for discussing different themes and practical challenges relating to military operations other than war,” Maj Gen Otto said.
He said the conference would bring together regional bodies and other key stakeholders to discuss practical challenges and explore ways of synchronising approaches to military operations.
Maj Gen Otto said the discussions would seek to promote more coordinated and preventive approaches to security challenges, while supporting existing efforts by the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and the United Nations.
“Without deliberate discussions of this nature, nations may miss opportunities to exchange experiences, share lessons and take advantage of their collective regional strengths and capabilities,” Maj Gen Otto said.
He added that the conference would reinforce the principle of African solutions to African problems while strengthening cooperation among defence and security institutions.
The meeting brought together members of the Diplomatic Corps, including the Deputy Ambassador of the European Union Mission to Uganda, H.E. Eole Sury, Defence Attachés and Advisers accredited to Uganda, senior officers of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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