President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on African countries to strengthen their economies, political cohesion and regional integration, saying these are essential to building strong defence forces and addressing emerging security threats.

The President made the remarks on Friday, October 8th, 2026, while closing the inaugural Conference of African Defence Chiefs on Military Operations Other Than War at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.

While addressing defence chiefs and military commanders, Museveni said Africa’s security depends not only on military strength but also on economic development, access to markets and strategic cooperation among countries.

“Can you have a strong army and a strong and safe country without a strong economy? Can you have a strong defence force and a strong and safe country without cohesive politics? Finally, can you have a strong defence force and a strong and safe country without, in some cases, addressing the issue of geo-strategic location such as being landlocked?” President Museveni asked.

Museveni emphasised the importance of expanding African markets, arguing that increased production must be matched by sufficient demand for goods and services.

“The common market of Africa or in its regions would address the issue of the wealth creators’ prosperity by creating a huge and guaranteed market for them,” he said.

He also linked economic integration to collective defence, saying political federation in East Africa could strengthen the region’s ability to respond to security threats.

“Uganda alone, even when it is a developed country, may not be able to play such a role. We do not even have access to the sea. Our brothers that are near the ocean may also have their own limitations. Together we can do the task more easily,” Museveni said.

Museveni further highlighted the role of defence forces beyond conventional warfare, citing their contributions to infrastructure development, agriculture, manufacturing and public health initiatives.

The four-day conference, which began on October 5th, was hosted by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, under the theme “Strengthening Adaptive Noncombatant Military Response to Emerging Complex Security Threats in Africa.”

It brought together defence chiefs from 18 countries to discuss emerging challenges, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, drone technology, climate change, pandemics, disaster management, border security and the protection of critical infrastructure.

The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, said the conference provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation, information sharing and preparedness among African defence forces.

“Our theme of ‘Strengthening Adaptive Noncombatant Military Response to Emerging Complex Security Threats in Africa’ is very important because it addresses the security threats that the region continues to face, hence timely,” he said.

The conference focused on military operations other than war, which encompass non-combat roles such as disaster response, humanitarian assistance, peace support operations and responses to public health emergencies. Its discussions sought to strengthen cooperation among African defence forces as they adapt to increasingly complex security challenges.