Chronicle Editor
Columbus Mabika, Harare Bureau
CHALLENGES facing the region demand critical thinking, creativity, strategic and innovative minds, the Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, has said.
Speaking during a graduation of students of the Diploma in Defence and Security studies at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare last week, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, said to confront contemporary security threats, co-operation was crucial.
The remarks come as the region is saddled with disturbances in the eastern provinces of Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.
On a global scale, conflict in Palestine and Russia-Ukraine also continue to disturb world peace.
“It is pleasing to note that co-operation between allied forces in the SADC region and Africa is particularly an important requirement for our defence forces to remain well positioned to address the global and regional challenges that continue to demand innovative minds.
“To confront contemporary and emerging threats, we continue to invest in training. This is commendable as it is through training that we are able to keep abreast with developments in the international space.”
The diploma was awarded in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Defence University and the course was attended by 11 students from allied forces in the region.
The diploma, the Minister said, was designed to produce graduates with the ability to think critically while demonstrating comprehension of contemporary human and security challenges.
“The programme equipped graduates with knowledge and skills to think critically and analyse current and future security dynamics necessary to guarantee sustainable peace and security which is necessary for national development,” Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said.
She said it was pleasing that the course equipped students with knowledge to deal with natural disasters which had become prevalent in the region.
Global peace, the Minister said, was being affected by the rapidly mutating geo-political environment characterised by tensions and mistrust which threatened the possibility of a Third World War and use of nuclear weapons. This was negatively affecting multilateral co-operation in tackling conflicts.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said guided by President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of being a “friend to all and enemy to none’, Zimbabwe as a member of the global community remained committed to contributing towards peace and security for all.
Vice-Chancellor of the Zimbabwe National Defence University Air Vice-Marshal Tedzani Moyo said the graduation marked an important milestone in the transformation of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to establish a solid academic foundation in defence and security studies necessary to meet the requirements of 21st century challenges.
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