The Minister of Defence, Gen James Kabarebe arrived in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura on Thursday for a one day meeting of the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade [EASBRIG] Council of Defence Ministers.

The Council meeting was preceded by the meeting of the EASBRIG Chiefs of Defence Staff that took place from 1st – 2nd December 2010. The RDF Chief of Defence Staff Lt Gen Charles Kayonga attended the Chiefs of Defence meeting.

High on the agenda is the Policy Framework for the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force [EASF] and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism [EASBRICOM] and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development [IGAD] that aims to harmonise the relations of both institutions in the area of peace and security.

EASBRIG is composed of 12 member states.

Lt Col Jill Rutaremara, Defence and Military Spokesman