Regional workshop for legal advisors and commanders comes to an end in Entebbe

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Chief Legal Services (CLS) Brig Gen Gordan Busingye has advised Legal Advisors (LEGADs) and commanders to always understand the challenges and opportunities involved in an operational setting.

He said this enhances the operational effectiveness of Legal Advisors (LEGADs).

The CLS said this as he officiated at the closure of the three-day (4-6th July 2023) meeting for operational expert LEGAD and Commanders Workshop at the Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe.

The workshop aimed at understanding issues related to the employment of operational LEGADs and commanders across Africa including; National Legislation governing their employment, selection and training (both legal and military) of LEGADs and identifying mechanisms that enhance their operational effectiveness.

This was the first meeting held to discuss issues concerning operational LEGADs and Commanders. The next meeting is expected to be hosted in Belgium.

In his closing remarks, Brig Gen Gordan Busingye reaffirmed the importance of such meetings in finding sustainable solutions to common security challenges affecting the sustainability of regional peace and stability. “The UPDF Leadership has no doubt whatsoever, that the three days meeting has achieved its objective of putting together generated approaches and strategies to deal with common security threats in the region and the role of Operational Legal Advisors in providing a shared view of how best to prepare Commanders in an operation setting,” said Brig Gen Gordan Busingye.

He urged participants to follow and implement the recommendations, therein and called for the continuity of such engagements that require concerted regional and global efforts to achieve cooperation in sharing intelligence when conducting coordinated operations.

The Head of Operations and Regional Delegation to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi Mr. Martin Agure Oguya thanked members for the fruitful discussions that will guide participants to a better Eastern Africa and Africa. “I attribute the success of this workshop to the efforts and enthusiasm you exhibited while actively contributing to the discussions, not forgetting our very able facilitators who diligently provided guidance throughout the workshop,” said Mr. Agure Oguya.

The operational LEGADs and Commander’s forum had participants drawn from ten member countries. These included:  Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Netherlands, South Africa, South Sudan, Switzerland and Uganda as hosts.

Present at the workshop were: Brig Gen Hirpo Mesheda Areda -Ethiopia, Division Operations Training Officer Col Amstrong Ndugga – Uganda, Col Carl Marchand – Switzerland, Commandant Legal Training Centre Lt Col Suzan Mwanga – Uganda, Lt Col Arthur Te Lintelo – Netherlands, Lt Col Felix Kioko – Kenya, Regional Facilitators, ICRC Staff and Course Participants, among others.