Eastern African defense officials convened in Kampala for the 36th Ordinary Session of the Eastern Africa Standby Force, urging member states to transition from readiness to rapid joint response, improve financial self-reliance, and strengthen regional security cooperation amid evolving cross-border conflicts and declining international funding.
Regional leaders and defense ministers gathered in Uganda to confront a volatile security environment marked by armed conflicts, violent extremism, and tightening international budgets. The 36th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Defence and Security of the Eastern Africa Standby Force brought together military chiefs, policy experts, and government officials to reevaluate how member states handle regional crises without relying heavily on external actors.
Uganda’s Leadership Urges Self-Reliance and Operational Readiness
Opening the ministerial meeting in Kampala, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga emphasized that individual nations cannot tackle modern cross-border threats alone. She pointed to a dangerous mix of armed rebellions, technological advances, humanitarian pressures, and disrupted trade routes across the region.
“Peace cannot be sustained in a country alone. It cannot be secured in isolation. Lasting peace is achieved by co-leadership.”
Rebecca Kadaga, First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, via Chimpreports
Echoing those concerns, Uganda’s Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka warned that military preparedness must evolve beyond basic readiness.
“Our challenge today is to move from readiness to rapid response.”
Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Uganda’s Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, via Chimpreports
Kiwanuka also called for tighter joint planning, enhanced information sharing, and interoperability while cautioning member states against duplicating existing capabilities. He urged regional forces to make better use of established specialized centers for disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and peace support operations.
Funding Shortfalls and the Shift Away from External Support
A central theme across the Kampala discussions was the gradual withdrawal of international funding for African peace operations. EASF Director Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga noted that African institutions must assume greater financial responsibility for their own security mechanisms.
“The question before us is no longer whether EASF can rely on external support. The question is how quickly we can position ourselves to assume greater responsibility when called upon by the African Union and our member states.”
Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga, EASF Director, via Chimpreports
Addressing the financial constraints directly, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced that Uganda will fully meet its financial obligations to the organization.
That call for fiscal discipline found early footing. According to Rwivanga, seven partner states delivered their financial commitments on schedule for the first time, signaling a potential turning point in regional burden-sharing.
Chiefs of Defence Weigh Interoperability and Evolving Threats
The three-day summit drew senior military leadership from across Eastern Africa, including representatives from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Sudan. During the Committee of Chiefs of Defence and Security sessions, leaders examined how modern warfare is being reshaped by sophisticated illicit networks, cyber threats, and rapid technological adoption.
State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Hon. Grace Akifeza Ngabirano reminded military leaders of their evolving mandate.
“You are builders of regional confidence. The relationship you cultivate, the truth you maintain, and the cooperation you strengthen are themselves strategic assets that contribute to preventing conflict and preserving stability.”
Hon. Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, Uganda’s Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, via updf.go.ug
Technical Reforms and Policy Working Group Deliberations
Prior to the ministerial meetings, technical experts and working groups laid the groundwork for policy reforms. Lieutenant General Jack Bakasumba, the UPDF Chief of Joint Staff, opened the 36th Ordinary Policy Working Group meeting by stressing the intrinsic link between security and economic growth.
“African solutions to African problems shouldn’t wait for anyone to come in and rescue us. We have the capabilities. We have the numbers.”
Lieutenant General Jack Bakasumba, UPDF Chief of Joint Staff, via Daily Monitor
Brigadier General Emmanuel Kazahura, chairperson of the Experts Working Group, reported that delegates reviewed complex reforms spanning resource mobilization, financial oversight, and service regulations. Those technical recommendations were forwarded upward to the Chiefs of Defence and Security and subsequently to the Council of Ministers for final adoption, setting the strategic trajectory for the standby force as it navigates ongoing transitions in regional peace support operations.
Ещё по этой теме
