Gen Birungi Underscores Role of Cooperation, Intelligence Sharing in Bolstering Regional Security

The Chief of Military Intelligence, Maj Gen James Birungi, has underscored the importance of regional efforts in addressing issues of mutual security concern and tackling the threats of terrorism, drugs, human trafficking and money laundering among others.

This was contained in his speech that was delivered on his behalf by the Commandant National Counter Terrorism Centre, Brig Gen Dominic Twesigomwe, during a Defence Intelligence Exchange Meeting between the Military Intelligence of UPDF and the Defence Intelligence of the South Africa National Defence Forces (SANDF) that was held Monday, Sept. 11 at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.

Addressing the above threats require concerted bilateral regional efforts. This meeting is one of such efforts of sharing and exchanging intelligence and proposing ways of jointly dealing with these threats,” said Gen Birungi, who went on to spotlight Uganda’s contribution towards regional stabilization efforts in the East African Community Regional Force in DRC, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) among others.

Col Otsile Benedict Segami, who led the SANDF Intelligence delegation, said that the meeting comes at the backdrop of positive global developments of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit that was held in South Africa and the Uganda – South Africa Trade and Investment Summit that was held in Kampala. “This is a good stepping stone not only for the business domain but also boils down to us as a security cluster fostering relations between the two governments,” said Col Segami.

Col Segami reiterated the significance of the meeting and said, “The importance of this meeting is to deliberate on shared interests in enhancing regional and continental defence and security. We must continue to engage one another so that we find amicable solutions to the problems affecting not only our countries but also the security of the continent.”

Present at the meeting were the Defence Attaché of South Africa to Uganda, Col Xolayi Petelo Mbekeni, directors and staff officers from UPDF and SANDF.