Somalia is hosting the 34th Policy Organs Meeting of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) in Mogadishu this week — marking the first time the country has ever hosted such a high-level regional security forum.
The landmark meeting, which began on Tuesday, brings together defence ministers, chiefs of staff, senior military officers, and civilian officials from the 10 EASF member states. The gathering serves as a platform for reviewing policy, strengthening regional cooperation, and assessing the readiness of the standby force to respond to emerging security threats.
The event follows Somalia’s assumption of the EASF rotating chairmanship in December 2024, taking over from Rwanda. Under its new leadership, Somalia is expected to guide key decisions on force deployment, peace support operations, and institutional strengthening within the regional force.
The EASF is one of the five regional standby forces under the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture. Its mission is to enhance peacekeeping capabilities and enable rapid deployment in response to conflicts, humanitarian crises, or threats to regional stability.
The five-day forum will include reviews of ongoing training exercises, logistical capacity, and strategic planning efforts. Participants will also discuss security challenges facing the Eastern Africa region, including terrorism, political instability, and natural disasters.
Hosting the forum is widely seen as a diplomatic milestone for Somalia, reflecting the country’s rehabilitation and increasing contribution to continental peace initiatives after years of conflict.
The meeting is expected to conclude on July 19, with a final communiqué outlining key decisions and strategic priorities for the upcoming year.
Background:
The EASF consists of member states including Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Burundi, and the Comoros.
Somalia formally joined EASF operations in recent years and has steadily increased its involvement in regional security planning.
The current chairmanship places Somalia at the heart of decisions involving rapid response, peacekeeping, and defence cooperation in Eastern Africa.
Mustaqbal
