africatodayonline.blogspot.com -
ADDIS ABABA, Sept 30 (BERNAMA-NNN-ERTA) -- The East African Standby Force (EASF), a regional arrangement with a mandate to enhance peace and security in the Eastern Africa region, has inaugurated its logistics centre in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony here Monday, Ethiopian Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa said that building a multilateral standby force would play a pivotal role towards achieving the African Union's goal of "silencing of the guns by 2020".
Ambassador Ismail Chanfi, director of EASF -- one of five regional multi-dimensional components of the African Standby Force (ASF) set up by the AU -- said Ethiopia had contributed enormously to the realisation of the facility.
The inauguration of the logistic centre is a major step towards full operation of the facility, Chanfi said.
It was noted that Africa's peace situation has improved immensely over the last decade, although new conflicts are becoming a daunting challenge for the continent.
In order to reduce these challenges, the continent has engaged in a number of activities at different levels.
Establishing a regional standby force is among the mechanisms employed to enhance peace and security in Africa.
The East African Standby Force comprises 10 active member states which are signatories to a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the facility. The EASF will be fully operational by year end.
Member countries have already pledged 5,000 personnel for the force.
-- BERNAMA-NNN-ERTA
