UPDF, South African Military Police Sign Defence Cooperation Agreement

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and South African National Defence Forces signed a defense cooperation agreement that will see the two institutions from their respective countries share training experiences and exchange programs intending to enhance the Military Police functions of their respective countries.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Commandant Military Police Maj Gen Don Williams Nabasa on behalf of Uganda while Mokgadi Alpheus Maphoto signed on behalf of the South African National Defence Force.

The bilateral relations between the two parties had started in 2019 as far as signing the cooperation agreement, and had partially been implemented, but was quickly hampered by COVID-19 which brought the entire program to a halt.

Maj Gen Nabasa informed the SANDF delegation that he was confident that integration of experience by both parties forms a basis for sound and timely decision-making by their respective leaders by proposing practicable and actionable measures that bear enduring effects towards professionalization of provost formations.

Speaking at the same function, the Provost marshal General of South Africa’s Defence Force Mokgadi Aupheus Maphoto, said the relationship between the two countries was real and aimed at reviving the long-standing history, adding that during the struggle for independence, South African youth came and trained in Uganda in 1989 part of that group became formed the military police of SANDF, therefore this agreement will see improvement in defending territorial boundaries of their countries.

Others in attendance during the signing of the cooperation agreement were Col Silvia Meeme Boto Military police, Col DR Lumumba, Lt col Hamza Kasaija from Protocol, and on the South African side, there was Col Twice Moganyaka, Lt col AK Mahlangu and Maj ME Motala.