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Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – Mogadishu is hosting, for the first time, the 34th Policy Organs Meetings of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), at a time when the region is experiencing significant security developments.
The meetings, running from July 15 to 19, bring together military officials, diplomats, and policymakers from the ten EASF member states: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda. Delegates will review past efforts and outline future plans related to peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and rapid response preparedness.
The meetings were officially opened by Somalia’s State Minister of Defence, Omar Abdi Ali. In his opening remarks, the minister welcomed all delegates to Mogadishu and noted that this was the first time Somalia had ever hosted the EASF meetings. He said the decision to hold the forum in Somalia reflected “the confidence regional countries have in Somalia” and highlighted the progress made in national security and rebuilding defence institutions, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence.
“Hosting the Eastern Africa Standby Force meetings demonstrates the progress we have made in security and in rebuilding our defence institutions,” said Minister Omar Abdi Ali.
Somalia currently holds the chairmanship of the EASF for the first time, giving the country a key leadership role in shaping the organization’s decisions. This year’s meetings are held under the theme: “20 Years of Commitment to Advancing Peace and Security in the Region,” revisiting the organization's journey since its establishment in 2004 and full operationalization in 2014.
The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) is a regional organization mandated to promote peace and security in the Eastern Africa region. It is one of the five regional standby forces of the African Standby Force (ASF), comprising military, police, and civilian components. EASF was established to provide a rapid deployment mechanism for peace support operations, conflict prevention, emergency interventions, and post-conflict stabilization.
