NYARUGENGE - The Eastern African Standby Brigade (EASBRIG) is set to conduct a Command Post exercise in Kenya in November. This was revealed yesterday by the Director of the EASBRIG Coordination Mechanism (EASBRICOM), Simon Mulongo.

He said that currently, the standby brigade staff officers at the headquarters are attending a collective training in Operational Planning in Nairobi.

"The aim of the command post exercise is to test the ability of the commanders and their staff officers as well as the senior civilian leaders in the region to ably respond to emergencies such as Peace Support missions,” said Mulongo.

He was addressing the Sixth ordinary meeting of Eastern African Chiefs of Defence Staff which was held at Kigali Serena Hotel.

The meeting was opened by Defence Minister Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi.

Mulongo said that they are projecting to have the force ready for deployment by 2015.

"Our mission is to develop a fully operational multi-dimensional integrated standby force ready for deployment by 2015, with an initial operational capability by 2010,” said Mulongo.

In his opening remarks, Gatsinzi reiterated the need to expedite the development of this force to ably respond to disasters in the region.

The emergency of this force that will be drawn from the 13 member states was realized as part of the Africa Peace and Security Architecture.

"The main aim is to develop a continental capability to respond to crises such as conflicts and disaster that continue to derail development,” said Mulongo.

Meanwhile, Peter Marwa, the EASBRIG Head of Political Affairs, confirmed that Rwanda was among the countries that have already availed forces to this brigade.

"Rwanda has already contributed a full battalion that will be part of the standby force,” he said.

Members of the EASBRIG include Comoros (which is the current Chair), Rwanda (Vice-chair), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Madagascar.

Others are Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

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