Major General Dick Olum, the Mountain Division Commander and overall Commander of Operation Shujaa on Thursday received a twelve-menber delegation from the Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre, who are in Uganda for a high-level meeting towards combating terrorism in the Great Lakes region.
The delegates drawn from 12 member states under the International Conference of Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) including Angola, Burundi, Central Africa Republic, the Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Republic of South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia, visited the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Mountain Division headquarters in Muhooti Barracks, Fort Portal City.
According to the Public Information Officer for UPDF Mountain Division/Operation Shujaa, Major Bilal Katamba, the team led by Colonel James Kateera came as part of the centre’s regular visits that were conducted in areas where state agencies are fighting the various rebel groups in the Great Lakes region especially the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During the interactions, Maj. Gen. Dick Olum briefed the guests on the latest developments regarding the operation. He highlighted the numerous accomplishments of the joint operation between the UPDF and FARDC to the delegation.
“We came here to be on the spot, where things are being done, to get more information, and to meet those fighting the various rebel groups. That is what brings us here,” said Col Kateera is quoted in a statement.
Col Kateera thanked Maj Gen Olum for the detailed presentation he made and said that the team’s understanding of ADF and operation Shujaa had greatly been enhanced by the presentation – Maj. Katamba stated.
The Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre is one of the sub-organs of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) that is charged with the collection of information on non-state armed groups in the region, especially the DRC. The centre has its headquarters in Goma, South Kivu DRC.
ICGLR was formed in 2006, to among other things find a lasting solution to security challenges in the region and promote peace, security, and stability to harness development opportunities in the Great Lakes Region.