ARUSHA, Tanzania, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. forces and their allies in the East African community announced plans to conduct a joint military exercise for humanitarian assistance.
Partner states in the East African Community Defense Forces with the U.S. Africa Command announced plans for joint training operations, Natural Fire 10, in Uganda Oct. 16-25.
The humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise is designed to train troops in disaster management and humanitarian assistance operations.
Beatrice Kiraso, deputy secretary-general of the East African Community, described the exercise as a milestone for defense cooperation, the EAC reported.
"The future of cooperation in defense is bright," she said. "This process will deepen the levels and widen the areas of cooperation in defense."
U.S. AFRICOM coordinated the first humanitarian training mission in 1998 as a bilateral exercise with Kenya. It was reconfigured in 1999 to include Uganda and Tanzania.
Its objective is to promote stability through military training, joint operations and the exchange of information.
