Mogadishu, Somalia – The 34th Policy Organs Meetings of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) officially opened on Tuesday in Mogadishu, marking the first time Somalia has hosted the high-level regional security event.
The sessions will run through July 19 and are being chaired by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence, which currently holds the EASF Chairmanship.
The week-long meetings bring together senior defense officials, military chiefs, and policymakers from EASF member states to discuss regional peace and security cooperation, force readiness, and strategic priorities.
The event features sessions by the Technical Committee, the Chiefs of Defence Staff, and the Council of Ministers of Defence and Security.
Somalia’s hosting of the forum is seen as a milestone in its efforts to reassert itself as a capable and active contributor to regional peace and stability.
The EASF is a key pillar of the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture, designed to rapidly respond to conflict, humanitarian crises, and natural disasters in the region.
Officials hailed Somalia’s hosting as a reflection of growing institutional capacity and international trust.