The Representative of the Chief of General Staff of the Mali Armed Forces (FAMa), Brig Gen Alou Boi Diarra, has requested Uganda to increase the training assistance slots offered to FAMa.

Brig Gen Diarra made the request during a meeting with the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Diarra thanked Muhoozi for inviting the Mali delegation to the Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) conference, and appreciated Uganda’s ‘unmatched hospitality and strong pan-African spirit.’

He briefed the CDF on the security situation in Mali and the Sahel region, and thanked the UPDF and the Ugandan government for the training assistance extended to FAMa.

The Mali delegation head noted that it is Ugandan-trained FAMa officers who are now commanding and training their colleagues.

Gen. Kainerugaba thanked Brig Gen Diarra and the leadership of FAMa for honouring his invitation, and said Uganda will continue to support other African armies in the spirit of pan-Africanism.

Muhoozi said he was impressed by the close relationship between the armies and governments of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, noting that the strong integration shown by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is what other African countries are still struggling to create.

“The future of Africa lies in the federation of small armies and jointly contributing to the development of Africans,” he said.

Gen. Kainerugaba extended an invitation to the leaders of FAMa and the government of Mali to visit Uganda in the near future.

The two leaders agreed that regular exchange of visits, ideas, training, commerce and social interactions between African peoples is what will bond them, and what will make Africa achieve the pan-African dream.