President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to engage fellow East African Community (EAC) Heads of State to strengthen the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and revive its Summit, which has not met since 2014.
Museveni made the commitment after meeting Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, Director of the EASF, at State House, Entebbe, where he was briefed on the Force’s activities and efforts to strengthen the region’s peace and security architecture.
The President, who is currently Chairperson of the EAC, said he would work with fellow Heads of State to ensure that the EASF is adequately supported to respond to emerging regional security and humanitarian challenges.
“I will engage my fellow Heads of State to strengthen the EASF, including convening its Summit, which has not met since 2014,” Museveni said.
The EASF is a regional standby arrangement comprising military, police and civilian components from Eastern African countries, established to provide a rapid regional response to peace and security challenges.
Museveni’s intervention comes amid growing calls for stronger regional mechanisms to address conflicts, instability and humanitarian crises affecting the wider Eastern African region.
