EAC Field Training Exercise Kicks Off in Rwanda

By Our reporter

KIGALI – The 13th East Africa Community Field Training Exercise (FTX) in Rwanda entailing joint drills kicked off on Friday.

This year’s military exercise, hosted by the Rwanda Defense Forces, brings together participants from various nations to enhance the readiness and interoperability of EAC Partner States’ Armed Forces, Police, Civilian Components and other stakeholders in responding to complex and multidimensional security challenges.

Gracing the multinational event, Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, emphasised on the spirit of “loyalty and pride” shared among Member States terming it as key to enhancing integration.

Lieutenant General John Omenda also graced the exercise and visited the Kenyan contingent to oversee the troops’ preparedness for the exercise and urged them to uphold camaraderie with participating countries in order to achieve mission success.

“The Exercise is based on a hypothetical East African State of Kangoma, which was affected by a political crisis, hence focusing on Peace Support Operations, Counter Terrorism, Counter Piracy and Disaster Management,” KDF said.

Troops will showcase drills such as crowd control, coordination and communication, flexibility, and patrolling in built-up areas thus highlighting high levels of professionalism and skills, and underscoring the troops’ dedication to safeguarding mission mandate.