The East African Community (EAC) Partner States have been urged to unite and overcome obstacles that threaten the security and stability of the region.

The call was issued on Monday, June 26, as EAC member states Armed Forces, police personnel and civilians concluded a two-week long Command Post Exercise (CPX), commonly known as "Ushirikiano Imara" in Musanze district.

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Minister of Defence Juvénal Marizamunda said that the exercise has reinforced the notion that through collaboration, partner states can overcome any obstacle that threatens the stability and security of the region.

"By engaging in integrated exercises, we have not only honed our operational efficiency but also forged strong bonds of trust and friendship among our military, police and civilian personnel," he said.

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"The problem of ensuring common security has been a matter of concern for all ages but the twenty-first century has defied all the benchmarks as we knew them,” Marizamunda added.

The exercise, Minister Marizamunda said, serves as a testament to partner states&039; shared determination to enhance interoperability and consolidate their collective security response mechanisms and procedures.

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The annual military drills aim at exposing participants to the planning and implementation of peace support operations and teach participants how to handle terrorism, piracy, the media and disaster management.

Participants are also tipped on combating complex security challenges, harmonise working relationships and improve military interoperability among the EAC Partner States’ armed forces.

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Deputy Secretary General Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, who represented the EAC secretariat noted that the military exercise is evidence of the resolve of East African countries to jointly address the security threats that affect people and threaten to derail national and regional development.

While integration is normally understood to be about enhanced cooperation in business, customs and taxes, he pointed out that cooperation in the area of security is a key element of integration "because there is need to safeguard the gains accruing from economic cooperation."

Five contingents from Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda (which is the host) brought together over 600 army, police and civilian participants.