- Events
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of Counter-Terrorism (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT) convened national capacity consultations on countering the terrorist use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Kampala, Uganda, on 6 March 2026. The consultations were organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda and the United Nations Mine Action Service (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵMAS), using a methodology developed jointly by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵMAS.
Following opening remarks delivered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT presented the project on "Supporting Eastern Africa in Countering Terrorist Use of Improvised Explosive Devices¡±, managed by its United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCCT), in support of the implementation of Security Council resolution 2370 (2017). Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵMAS then provided an overview of the regional threat and the work carried out by its Threat Mitigation Advisory and Mobile Training Teams in Uganda.
The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) of Uganda outlined its assessment of the evolving IED threat, including regional actors, key vulnerabilities, and the mandates of agencies engaged in counter-terrorism and IED-related work. Representatives of eight national institutions examined Uganda's legislative and regulatory framework, its international commitments, national policy, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, as well as the security and control of IED components.
Later sessions focused on operational and technical readiness across the counter-IED lifecycle. This includes the detection and border controls of dual-use materials to render-safe; scene-exploitation capabilities led by the Uganda Police Force Bomb Squad; investigation; information management, as well as risk assessment. Participants also considered countermeasures to prevent and counter the terrorist acquisition and use of UAS.
The consultations identified priority needs for strengthening Uganda's counter-IED response such as specialized training, equipment, inter-agency coordination, and information-sharing. They concluded with a summary of key findings, which will feed into a regional roadmap for Eastern Africa.
Background
The national capacity consultations form part of a three-year regional project aimed at enhancing the security of Kenya, Somalia and Uganda against IED threats by strengthening legislative frameworks, building operational capacities of national authorities, and enhancing inter-agency and regional cooperation. It was held within the framework of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapons, with funding provided by Global Affairs Canada.
