Africa: Museveni Urges African Defence Chiefs to Link Security With Development

What the report says

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni used the closing session of the inaugural African Conference of Chiefs of Defence Forces on Military Operations Other Than War to press African military leaders to think beyond battlefield security and connect defence planning with economic and political stability. The event was held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, according to UG Diplomat, which reported the remarks through AllAfrica.

Museveni argued that a country cannot maintain a strong defence establishment without a strong economy. He said African governments should prioritize wealth creation through commercial agriculture, industry, services and information and communications technology, while also widening markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area and deeper regional integration. He presented security and prosperity as mutually reinforcing goals rather than separate policy areas.

He also urged defence forces to prepare for newer, non-traditional threats and to contribute to peacebuilding and national development. The conference brought together defence chiefs, intelligence chiefs and force commanders from across the continent, and Museveni thanked the visitors for attending in Uganda.

The remarks reflect a broader policy debate in Africa about how armed forces fit into development agendas, especially as governments face fiscal pressures, cross-border risks and evolving security challenges. AllAfrica’s source did not provide further details on conference decisions or follow-up actions.