Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to engage fellow East African leaders to strengthen the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), including efforts to revive its Heads of State Summit, which has not been convened since 2014.
Museveni made the commitment on August 13, 2026, after meeting EASF Director Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga at State House in Entebbe.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 36th EASF Ordinary Policy Organs Meetings being held in Kampala from August 10 to 15.
Museveni said Rwivanga briefed him on the force’s activities and ongoing efforts to strengthen the region’s peace and security architecture.
“As Chairperson of the EAC, I will engage my fellow Heads of State to strengthen the EASF, including convening its Summit, which has not met since 2014,” Museveni said.
The President also pledged to advocate for greater support for the regional force so that it can respond more effectively to emerging security and humanitarian challenges in Eastern Africa.
Rwivanga seeks stronger political commitment
Brig Gen Rwivanga has called for renewed political ownership of the EASF, alongside sustainable financing and stronger operational capabilities.
He told Museveni that the proposed summit would give regional leaders an opportunity to renew their political commitment to the force, provide strategic direction and strengthen collective ownership at the highest level.
“Operational readiness alone is not enough. A capable regional mechanism must also be supported by sound governance, sustainable financing, effective oversight and a professional workforce,” Rwivanga said during the EASF policy meetings.
The EASF leadership is also seeking stronger support for its membership, financing and operational capacity as the region confronts increasingly complex threats, including terrorism and violent extremism, organised crime, maritime insecurity, cyber threats, humanitarian crises and climate-related challenges.
What the meeting could mean for EASF
Museveni’s pledge could provide an important political boost to the EASF at a time when member states are seeking to improve the force’s readiness and ability to respond rapidly to crises.
Reviving the Heads of State Summit would give leaders a platform to make high-level decisions on financing, political support, operational readiness and the future direction of the force.
It could also help translate technical recommendations from defence and security officials into concrete commitments by member states.
The EASF comprises military, police and civilian components from Eastern African countries and is designed to provide a regional mechanism for responding to peace and security challenges, including peace-support operations, humanitarian assistance and emergency response.
The current EASF policy meetings in Kampala are reviewing institutional, financial and operational issues, with recommendations expected to move to higher-level regional decision-making bodies.
For East Africa, stronger political backing and predictable financing could therefore help the standby force become more responsive, better coordinated and more capable of addressing security crises before they escalate.
Museveni’s intervention also comes as regional military leaders emphasize the need for countries to build preparedness before crises occur, rather than waiting until emergencies have already erupted.
