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February 21, 2004

Uganda, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda and Somalia have offered troops to the Eastern African Standby Brigade (EASBRIG), soon to be formed as part of the African Standby Force (ASF). Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Comoros are also expected to contribute troops. The ASF will comprise of four regional brigades, each with 4,020 combatants each. Kenya would host the planning headquarters for the force but the standby troops would be assembled and deployed as soon as need arose.

The seven day long closed meeting of chiefs of defense staff and Experts (chaired by the Ugandan army commander) did not disclose specific troop quotas. However, they did formulate the EASBRIG policy framework and agree that the region's defense ministers will meet in April at the AU's Addis Ababa headquarters to finalize the plan. - Adam Geibel

THE AFRICAN STANDBY FORCE: Progress and prospects, online at
www.trainingforpeace.org/pubs/iss/asr123.pdf