Museveni to Rally EAC Leaders for Stronger Regional Standby Force

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in his capacity as Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC), has committed to mobilizing regional Heads of State and Government to bolster the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF). The pledge came during a meeting at State House, Entebbe, where Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, Director of the EASF, briefed the President on the force's operations and sought his crucial support.

The EASF, established in 2004 under the African Union's framework, integrates military, police, and civilian capabilities. Its primary objective is to offer the region a coordinated and rapidly deployable mechanism for addressing peace and security challenges, including peace support operations, humanitarian emergencies, and other crises. Rwivanga specifically urged Museveni to leverage his influence to encourage Djibouti, Comoros, and Sudan to enhance their participation in the standby force, thereby strengthening the region's collective security.

Furthermore, Rwivanga requested Museveni's assistance in lobbying other regional leaders to attend the EASF Summit. This summit, which has not convened since 2014, is seen as vital for renewing political commitment, providing strategic direction, and fostering collective ownership of the force at the highest level. Museveni affirmed his intention to engage his counterparts on these matters and support the summit's organization.

President Museveni also pledged support for enhancing the EASF's financial capacity, particularly for humanitarian assistance, rescue operations, rapid deployment, and emergency response. Specific financial commitments are anticipated to be determined once the summit convenes, allowing member states to assess and agree upon the necessary resources. This engagement occurs as the 36th Ordinary Policy Organs Meeting of the EASF takes place in Kampala, bringing together senior officials to discuss strategic and operational matters for strengthening the regional security mechanism. Uganda's own contributions, including a recent verification exercise of its pledged military, police, and civilian capabilities, were also discussed.

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The exercise assessed Uganda's readiness, interoperability, personnel, equipment and capacity for rapid deployment in support of peace operations across the region.