Kigali, 25th March 2024

The East Africa Standby Force (EASF) member states are convening in Kigali for a four-day session aimed at assessing disaster readiness of member states, promoting collaboration, and exchanging best practices to strengthen preparedness.

The workshop's main objective is to harmonize disaster and pandemic response strategies across the EASF region while formulating a practical implementation plan for proactive action under the Humanitarian Action and Natural disasters (HANDS) framework.

On behalf of RDF Chief of Defence Staff, Col Claudien BIZIMUNGU, Deputy Commander of the Engineer Command, emphasized the workshop's role as a catalyst for establishing a dynamic platform conducive to collaboration, exchanging best practices and enhancing collective disaster response capabilities.

Col BIZIMUNGU urged participants to approach discussions with openness, creativity, and a shared sense of purpose, emphasizing the importance of working towards building a safer, more resilient Eastern African region.

Brig Gen (Rtd) Paul Kahuria NJEMA, Director of the Secretariat of the Eastern Africa Standby Force, highlighted the regions' multiple crises exerting significant pressure on governments and communities and urged member states to fully engage in collective initiatives towards safeguarding the EASF population and the entire African continent.

Brig Gen (Rtd) NJEMA reaffirmed EASF's commitment to collaborating closely with its member states, the AU, and all stakeholders to bolster its ability to respond effectively to crises.