Sudanese Defence Minister calls for collective action of African countries

Lt Gen Ahmed Bin Auf, Defence Minister of the Sudan Government, told the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) that there are challenges that require the inter-group cohesion and collective action of all African countries.

Speaking yesterday at the EASF Chiefs of Defence Staff Meeting in Khartoum, the defence minister cited terrorism, human trafficking, border disputes, organised crime, and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as transnational challenges which need to be tackled. The Defence Minister said that Eastern African forces have recently carried out operations culminating in the declaration of full operational readiness of an African force ready to carry out tasks in the region.

He pointed out that the East African forces have declared their readiness to preserve and protect peace, and have become “models” in the African continent for giving citizens security and a decent standard of living.

He stressed that the security and stability of any country in Eastern Africa is linked to the security and stability of its neighbours.

The meetings were attended by military leaders representing Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, the Seychelles, the Comoros, and Djibouti.

Gen David Muhoozi, the Chief of Defence Forces of the Republic of Uganda, noted in his speech yesterday that the Eastern Africa region still experiences security challenges that have led to “untold suffering of its people through displacement and bloodshed. It is therefore essential that approaches beyond the existing measures are found to ensure greater regional security, including enhanced intelligence and information sharing.” 

The EASF forces were established by the African Union in 2004 consisting of three “military, police and civilian” components as part of Africa’s reserve peacekeeping forces on the continent.

The EASF Council of Ministers for Defence and Security will spend today analysing deliberations which have been passed by the Experts Working Group and the Chiefs of Defence Staff. If the Council approves these deliberations, they will be implemented by the Secretariat.