Uganda to Host Inaugural Conference on Military Operations Other Than War

What the report says

Uganda is set to host the inaugural Conference on Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) next week, with the four-day event scheduled for Speke Resort Munyonyo from October 5 to 8, 2026. According to Nile Post, the gathering is being organised by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs together with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

The conference is expected to draw African military commanders, Chiefs of Defence Forces from 14 countries, regional security bodies and leaders of peace support missions. Confirmed participants listed in the report include Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The African Union and several regional and continental security frameworks are also expected to take part.

Chief of Defence Forces and senior presidential adviser for special operations Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba is expected to host the event. He held a final planning meeting in Entebbe with the strategic and technical committees ahead of the conference, the report said. The organisers say the meeting will provide a platform for African security actors to exchange experience and discuss responses to threats that go beyond conventional warfare.

Topics on the agenda include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial systems, peace support operations, border and maritime security, disaster management, climate change and protection of critical infrastructure. More broadly, the conference reflects a growing African security focus on preventive, multi-agency approaches rather than relying only on military force.