auspices of the African Union or the United Nations; v) Developing a regional capacity on defence technology; vi) The clearance of landmines and Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs); vii) Responding to external aggressions; viii) The reintegration of ex-combatants and rehabilitation of child soldiers; ix) Developing a doctrine that will enable the inter-operability of the Defence Forces; x) Disaster relief support capability; xi) The proliferation of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons; and xii) 4.3 Any other threats. Objectives and activities 4.3.1 The overall objectives of the Organ in the Defence arena are stipulated in Article 2 of the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and these are: OBJECTIVE 1 To protect the people and safeguard the development of the Region against instability arising from the breakdown of law and order, intra-state and inter-state conflicts and aggression. Strategies / activities i) Develop regional defence capability against military aggression; ii) Conduct regular assessment of the regional security sit uation; 25