Mbadi preaches intelligence sharing as Africa spy chiefs meet in Kampala

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The Deputy Chief of the Defence Forces in Uganda, Lt.Gen Wilson Mbadi has emphasized the need for African states to share intelligence to effectively deal with emerging security threats such as terrorism.

Mbadi noted that the word has turned into a small village for the strong and developed countries while it largely remains a vast area for the developing and less developing countries hence the need for cross-border cooperation to fight terrorism resulting from presence of armed groups in the continent.

Speaking during the official opening of the two day high-level Conference of the Committee of Intelligence and Security services in Africa (CISSA) at Pearl of Africa hotel in Kampala, Mbadi said the discord among intelligence agencies in Africa states favors terrorist groups to regroup and reconstitute their cells to disrupt peace citing the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

“We need to build strong structures for sharing intelligence to eradicate existing as well as curtail potential security threats in the region and the continent,” he said.

The conference has attracted Chiefs of Intelligence from Uganda, Kenya,Tanzania, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Comoros.

Under the theme, “Armed groups and negative forces and their nexus to terrorism” participants will explore Persistent security challenges resulting from the presence of armed groups in the continent.

Mbadi said the theme is timely and relevant given the existence of armed groups in several African states

He noted that Africa is vulnerable to terrorism and therefore it calls for hard work, resilience and increased cooperation to overcome hurdles that continue to impede the continent’s progress.

 “This conference is pertinent because we need concerted efforts to generate appropriate and co-ordinated actions to respond to the security challenges facing the region and the continent,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to create a conducive environment for exchanging ideas, sharing experiences and reaching practical resolutions in chatting a way forward in combating the effects of armed groups and negative forces as well as terrorism.”

The Director General External Security Organization Ambassador Joseph Ochwet highlighted terrorism and cyber crime as some of the major security challenges still affecting the continent.

According to Shimeles W.Semayat, Executive Secretary of Committee of Intelligence and Security services in Africa (CISSA), part of the conclusion of the conference will be to come up with a resolution on the control and circulation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW).