The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has reiterated Uganda’s long-standing dedication to international peacekeeping, emphasizing gender integration, continuous technical innovation, and global partnerships to meet evolving operational challenges.
The Director of Women Affairs in the UPDF, Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo, delivered the commitment on Saturday, October 3, 2026, during the joint graduation ceremony of the 17th Women’s Outreach Course and the 12th United Nations Peacekeeping Micro-UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Remote Pilot Course at the UN Regional Service Centre in Entebbe (RSCE).
Brig. Gen. Bainababo underscored that Uganda’s active participation in United Nations and African Union peace support operations stems from an Pan-African doctrine of collective and common security.
“Uganda believes in common security because we are alive to the fact that when our brothers and sisters are in trouble, so are we,” Brig. Gen. Bainababo said. “These initiatives reinforce our shared commitment to peace, security, and cooperation, while strengthening the preparedness of those serving in peace operations worldwide.”
She revealed that Uganda is set to host the inaugural Conference of Chiefs of Defence Forces, where UPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, will host regional and international counterparts to discuss Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW).
Commending the female graduates drawn from seven peacekeeping missions, AU operations, and 14 UN member states, Brig. Gen. Bainababo stated that their achievements mark tangible progress in mainstreaming women into front-line tactical leadership and mission-critical assignments.
She urged the graduating officers to translate their classroom certifications into decisive field competence:
“Let the knowledge not remain on paper, on the certificate that you have acquired. Let it be seen from the way you operate, from the way you interact with your colleagues, and from the way you interact with technology. Be a student forever, because this technology that you have learnt here keeps evolving,” she said.
Addressing the graduates of the Micro-UAS Remote Pilot Course, Brig. Gen. Bainababo stressed that unmanned aerial surveillance directly elevates troop protection, improves battlefield clarity, and prevents friendly casualties in asymmetric warfare environments.
The Ambassador of France to Uganda, H.E. Virginie Leroy, reaffirmed Paris’s support for UN peacekeeping through technical instruction, financial cooperation, and capacity development.
Ambassador Leroy announced that the bilateral and multilateral training partnership backing these specialized programs has been extended through 2029, broadening in scope to encompass advanced Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and specialized aircraft systems instruction.
She highlighted gender inclusion and modern drone systems as indispensable pillars of contemporary peace operations, noting that remotely piloted aircraft deliver critical early warning data, strengthen mission effectiveness, and minimize civilian and peacekeeper casualties in hostile terrains.