Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister , Rebecca Kadaga , has chaired a meeting of senior officials to prepare for the 13th Joint Meeting of the Sectoral Councils on Defence Affairs, Interstate Security, and Foreign Policy Coordinatio
n. The Nairobi sessions, scheduled from 30 March to 3 April, will bring together senior officials, permanent secretaries, and ministers to review progress on regional peace and security matters.
Uganda is presiding over this round of meetings, with Rwanda serving as rapporteur. This arrangement places Uganda at the center of discussions, giving Kadaga and her delegation a leading role in guiding deliberations across defence, security, and foreign policy.
Officials reviewed the status of previous decisions, noting that most are on track. Two areas, however, require further attention: implementing recommendations on combating radicalization and violent extremism, and completing the delimitation and reaffirmation of international boundaries by 2027.
The meeting also revisited the outcomes of the High Level Ateker Leaders Conference held in 2024 across Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan. Leaders from the Ateker communities reported that since the Peace Caravan of 2023, there have been no violent incidents among border communities, a significant milestone. They pledged to deepen cooperation by strengthening traditional dispute resolution, supporting disarmament, and empowering women and youth in peacebuilding. The Ateker Elders Council, now expanded to include Ethiopia’s Nyangatom community, is set to be launched with EAC support.
Another major focus was the East African Community Early Warning Mechanism (EACWARN). Established in 2011, it helps anticipate and respond to potential conflicts. Experts have refined its Standard Operating Procedures and updated indicators to better capture risks across nine dimensions, including political, economic, social, and environmental factors. While four partner states have set up national early warning centres, others are still lagging. The recommendation is clear: all member states should expedite the establishment of these centres to ensure the system works effectively.
Officials also reviewed progress on the Integrated EAC Early Warning System, a web based platform designed to strengthen data collection and analysis. While it represents a major step forward, concerns remain about cybersecurity and the need for consistent data quality. Partner states were urged to finalize national centres, train analysts, and coordinate closely with the African Union’s continental early warning system. Uganda’s own national centre is still in its formative stages, with the Internal Security Organisation and the Ministry of East African Community Affairs leading efforts to establish a permanent structure.
Senior officials from different MDAs during the Preparatory meeting.
Experts presented draft guidelines for model national centres and a model memorandum of understanding to govern cooperation between national and regional structures.
These instruments are intended to harmonize approaches, strengthen information sharing, and ensure confidentiality while promoting collective security. Ministers are expected to adopt them, with partner states customizing the guidelines to their national contexts.
The preparatory meeting underscored the importance of political will and regional solidarity in addressing security challenges. From border community peacebuilding to advanced early warning systems, the agenda reflects both grassroots realities and high level policy needs.
Kadaga’s leadership in chairing these sessions comes at a time when she was newly named Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers during the recently concluded Heads of State Summit in Arusha, a role that further elevates Uganda’s voice in shaping the future of regional cooperation.
