KAMPALA – Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and regional cooperation as the region confronts increasingly complex and unpredictable security challenges.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The commitment was made during the 36th Ordinary Session of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence and Security of the EASF in Kampala, which brought together senior military leaders from member states.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Uganda’s Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs (Defence), Hon. Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, said the region must strengthen cooperation and confidence to address emerging security threats.
“Security cannot be sustained through isolation. It is built through confidence, strengthened through partnership, and endures when nations choose cooperation over uncertainty,” Hon. Ngabirano declared.
The Minister noted that military chiefs have evolved from national commanders into strategic architects of regional resilience, whose relationships, truth, and cooperation serve as vital assets for preventing conflict and preserving stability.
“You are builders of regional confidence. The relationships you cultivate, the truth you maintain, and the cooperation you strengthen are themselves strategic assets that contribute to preventing conflict and preserving stability,” she emphasized.
The Chief of Defence Forces of Uganda, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, painted a stark picture of a rapidly shifting security landscape where conflicts, extremism, illicit networks, and technology are all evolving at an unprecedented pace.
He stressed that preparedness in this new era is defined not by troop numbers but by agility, interoperability, foresight, and the capacity for decisive action under uncertainty.
“In such an environment, preparedness is no longer measured by numbers alone. It is measured by agility, interoperability, foresight, and the ability to respond decisively under uncertain circumstances,” Gen. Kainerugaba stated.
The CDF pointed to the transition of the African Union mission in Somalia as a clear reminder that the region must be self-reliant and ready, with credibility earned through the confidence it inspires before deployment, not just during missions.
He also affirmed Uganda’s full financial commitment to the EASF and praised the recent force verification exercise as a practical testament to the readiness of its military, police, and civilian components.
EASF Director Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga called for a fundamental shift in how the region views peacekeeping, urging African institutions to take greater ownership of continental security amid changes in global financing and operational conduct.
He challenged member states to move beyond debating the EASF mandate and instead focus on whether they are collectively prepared to make that mandate a tangible reality.
“The question before us, therefore, is not whether EASF has a mandate. The question is whether we are collectively prepared to make that mandate a reality,” Brig. Gen. Rwivanga asserted.
The EASF Director also made a critical appeal for the long-overdue convening of the EASF Summit of Heads of State and Government, arguing that such a meeting would renew political momentum and strategic direction at the highest level.
The three-day session is underway in Kampala, where leaders are expected to take key strategic decisions to strengthen the Eastern Africa Standby Force.
The discussions will focus on improving the EASF’s governance, sustainability, and operational effectiveness to ensure it remains a credible and responsive mechanism for peace and security in Eastern Africa.
The meeting has drawn high-ranking military representatives from across the bloc, including senior officials from Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Djibouti, Somalia, and Comoros.
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