Tanzania’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), General Jacob Mkunda, has arrived in Paris as the largest European arms exhibition, Eurosatory, is set to commence today, June 17, 2024, and conclude on June 21, 2024, at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition center.
The CDF’s visit to Paris was announced yesterday by Tanzania’s Ambassador to Paris, Ali Mwadini.
“Today, we have the honor of being visited by a distinguished guest, Gen. Jacob John Mkunda, Chief of the Tanzania Defense Forces, along with his delegation who are in France on official business,” said Mwadini in a post on X.
While the exact reason for the visit was not revealed, it coincides with Eurosatory, Europe’s largest arms exhibition organized by COGES (Commissariat Général des Expositions et Salons du GICAT), a subsidiary of the French Land and Airland Defence and Security Industries Association, GICAT.
The exhibition brings together over 100,000 participants working in the defense and security sectors and features over 1,800 exhibitors.
Observers point out that some of the key items professionals will be looking for include drone technology, particularly due to its extensive use in the recent Russia-Ukraine war, AI development in defense and security, and heavy armor, among others.
In its current concluding budget for 2023/24, Tanzania had a budget add-on of USD 633 million for purchasing military equipment and supporting its missions in the DR Congo and Mozambique.
In the upcoming budget, which begins in July 2024, Tanzania has allocated USD 124 million to develop its military.
