FECAS - ECSVS Forum

East Africa Standby Force experts meet in Seychelles

Heads of defence forces, police chiefs and other experts from the East Africa Standby Force (EASF) 10-member countries are holding their working group meeting in Seychelles.

The two-day meeting was officially opened at the Savoy Hotel at Beau Vallon yesterday morning by the Commissioner of Police Ernest Quatre.
The EASF experts’ meeting will be followed by the 12th extraordinary session of the Eastern Africa Committee of Defence and Security (EACDS). The two-day session will start on Wednesday.

Among the numerous issues related to security, peace and stability in the region to be discussed, also high on the agenda is the finalising of details for the new regional standby force expected to be deployed in December.

It was during a meeting in Kigali, Rwanda in August this year that the defence and police chiefs pledged to deploy some 5,000 troops to the force to be deployed by December to tackle insecurity that is mounting in the East African region.

During yesterday morning opening of the meeting EASF director Chanfi Issimail confirmed that “the force will be operational this December, one year ahead of schedule, with a seven-day deployment readiness standard”.

“It is now more than a conviction that together we will realise the EASF vision, mission, mandate and promote peace, security and stability to greater heights,” Mr Issimail pointed out.

The force is receiving the support and backing of the African Union (AU) which is pushing for a 2015 deadline for each of the five regions — East, West, Central, North and Southern Africa — to develop their own standby forces.

Welcoming the experts before opening the meeting, Mr Quatre stressed Seychelles’ “readiness and determined resolve to fully support the mission of the EASF where it is in our power and ability to do so”.

“The Seychelles Police, a civilian law enforcement agency, is supportive of and commends the work being done so that our region can stand shoulder high to proclaim that yes indeed we have committed ourselves to preserving the rule of law that our respective societies are founded upon. We are gathered here to consider and propose that we stand together to reject disorder in support of order,” Mr Quatre stressed.

The member countries of the EASF are Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.
http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=243384

Seychelles ready to take over EASF chairmanship

31-October-2014
Seychelles will in April next year take over the rotational chairmanship of the Nairobi-based Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) secretariat for one year.

Speaking about Seychelles taking over the chairmanship of the organisation, Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam said the country is ready for this task and is confident in delivering on its responsibilities despite the many challenges that lie ahead.

Rwanda is the current chair of the force initiated 10 years ago following one of the decisions of the African Union’s (AU) heads of States and Government 2004 summit. It is one of the AU’s five peace keeping mechanisms that have the responsibility of attaining full operational capability by December 2015.

Other than Seychelles and Rwanda, the countries which make up the EASF are Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Comoros, Sudan, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Representatives of those countries met last week during a conference at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa to discuss the modalities of attaining full operational capability (FOC).

In fact there were three separate meetings. The first was the policy organs meeting (POM) of the EASF experts working group and it was tasked with going over all the aspects of the new structuring and framework of the EASF and present its recommendations to the meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDF). The regulations which will guide the different aspects of the work of the EASF and a funding mechanism entitled the Peace Fund were presented to the Chiefs of Defence Forces at the end of the meeting.

The final draft of the strategic plan of the force was also presented to the chiefs of defence forces for consideration and recommendation to the council of ministers for defence for the EASF member states which met last Friday for approval.

All member states contribute towards the force on a ratio basis but because it is unable to commit many personnel to the force which now stands at 5,200, Seychelles will be sending 10 military officers and 10 police officers to ease the work of the secretariat.

The country will also make available its smallest tanker – Seychelles Paradise – to supply the force with fuel whenever it is deployed for any mission.
Minister Adam said Seychelles will bear the cost for the first month as well as for any other contribution it makes, but after that the force will take over the financial responsibility.

Minister Adam also said maritime safety is the key to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

“All member states of the EASF have the common concern of maritime safety be they coastal or landlocked because our oceans are the primary routes of trade and commerce and ensuring peace and stability in our region is a means of making sure that we can benefit from the vast potentials which the oceans represent under the blue economy concept which Seychelles is championing and is receiving the support of many countries,” noted Minister Adam.

Once operational by December 2014 the force will have the mandate to help member states in ensuring peace and security in the region.

EASF director Chanfi Issimail said the proposed strategic plan has a four-pillar approach with each having its own goal, which in turn has specific strategic objectives.

“After attainment of full operational capability, a new roadmap is necessary. We need to define the way forward. We need to be clear in our move as an organisation. We need to be sure of and secure, as a force, of the course of our action,” said Mr Issimail.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=243495

Kenya quarry massacre leaves 36 dead, says Red Cross
Deadly raid comes against backdrop of hostilities between Islamist extremists al-Shabaab and Kenyan government

At least 36 people are feared dead after gunmen staged an attack on a quarry in north-east Kenya, according to the Red Cross.

The attack took place over Monday night 10 miles (16km) from the remote town of Mandera and close to the dangerous border with Somalia, in the same area where the al-Shabaab group has carried out a string of raids.

Assailants reportedly sprayed gunfire at tents where the workers were sleeping. “Our team is on the ground undertaking assessments of the attack,” Red Cross Kenya said on Tuesday.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/d ... -red-cross


Somali Militants Al-Shabaab Kill 36 in Kenya Border Attack
http://online.wsj.com/articles/somali-m ... 1417509037

Media And Government Blamed As Another Mandera Attack Leaves 36 People .
http://www.ghafla.co.ke/news/tv/item/27 ... are-blamed

36 workers feared dead in quarry attack in north-east Kenya
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/ ... a-20141202