Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) member states are meeting in Kigali to among other tasks draft a concept on countering security threats that have regional and international dimensions.
The 28th Ordinary Policy Organs Meetings, which started earlier this week with a meeting of experts, has attracted defence chiefs and later convene the Council of Ministers of Defence and Security.
Opening the session of Chiefs of Defence and Security, on Wednesday, December 16, Lt Gen Jean Jacques Mupenzi, the Chief of Staff of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), admitted that the region continues to face challenges of conflict that impact peace and stability in some of our member states.
Acts of violence, terrorism, and violent extremism, especially in the horn of Africa region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said, continue impacting the region and call for concerted effort.
"The EASF had made several achievements during the last thirteen years, including attaining full operational capability and contributing to capacity building of our forces in terms of training. It is important that these achievements are maintained and consolidated," Mupenzi said.
The EASF is a regional organisation whose mandate is to enhance peace and security in the Eastern Africa region. It comprises 10 active member states: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.
All partner states are represented at the meeting apart from Burundi and Seychelles.
"It is therefore in our interest that we move forward speedily but in a pragmatic and professional manner in order to reinforce the larger efforts of our continental organisation, the AU," Mupenzi said.
In the spirit of shared responsibility and in recognition of the fact that the security of one state is inextricably linked to that of the other, Mupenzi said, "we must spare no effort to collectively address the problems" related to peace and security.
The regional Standby Force is one of the five regional multidimensional forces of the African Standby Force (ASF) comprising military, police and civilian components. The components stay on standby for rapid deployment at appropriate notice as provided for in the peace support operations scenarios of the ASF.
In an August 2014 pledging conference, held in Kigali, countries committed to raise a military fighting force of 5,000 troops.
EASF declared full operational capability in December 2014 with an equipped multidimensional and multinational force of 5,200 personnel - military, police and civilian components.
Wednesday's session was the start of the CDFs' policy organ meeting.
Ministers will meet on Friday.
Financial constraints
According to Brig Gen Fayisa Getachew, the EASF Director said they have been able to achieve several objectives including maintaining force readiness for deployment, but "the financial status of the organisation is currently poor."
Each member state is required to contribute an annual assessed contribution. Lately, Rwanda’s assessed contribution is 9.3 percent of the total annual assessed contribution by all countries.
"Only two member states have so far submitted their annual assessed contributions for 2020. However, I am glad to have received information that the Republic of Rwanda has dispatched their contribution and is expected in our accounts soon," Getachew said.
"We understand the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on our economies. However, as we allocate the little resources we have, I kindly request that we also consider EASF."
According to the EASF's 2019 annual report, the approved budget for the financial year 2019 was $7.4 million.
But member states' actual remittances for the same financial year totalled $4.5 million.
On September 25, military, police and civilian personnel from seven member states completed a two-week training course that integrated mission planning at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze District.