Experts from 10 Eastern African countries on Monday started a two-week training in Kampala to develop capacities to deploy civilians in peace support operations in the region.

The training is part of building capacities of the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) expected to be operational by the end of this year. 

"The Security Sector Reform is a post conflict management system where civilians come into a country to assist the leadership in establishing governance, elections,” Brig. Gen. Tai Gituai, Joint Chief of Staff EASF Planning Element, said.

 "These are civilians deployed after the military has stabilised the country, the police have been deployed to take care of the issues of crime and now government starts to take shape,” he added.

EASF is a regional organisation whose mandate is to enhance regional peace and security. The member countries include Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. 

EASF is one of the five regional multidimensional components of the African Standby Force consisting of the military, police and civilians.