Bernard Makuza has been elected to lead the Advisory Council of the East Africa Standby Force (EASF), a body that advises the Council of Ministers and Heads of State of member countries on matters related to conflict prevention.
He was elected during a retreat held from November 11 to 13, 2025.
EASF was established to support peace and security efforts in the East African region. Each region of Africa—North, Central, South, East, and West—maintains its own standby force ready to intervene where necessary.
Members of the EASF forces train together in different countries within the bloc. Its Secretariat is based in Nairobi, while the force headquarters is located in Ethiopia.
The force also includes civilian components.
Among its governance structures is the Advisory Council, which provides guidance to EASF leadership bodies—including the Council of Ministers and Heads of State—either on its own initiative or upon request.
Makuza explained that he was nominated by President Paul Kagame through the Ministry of Defence as one of the regional representatives on the Council.
The Council consists of representatives from the nine EASF member states, who elect five individuals to serve on the body. Those five then elect their chairperson. “So I am the one they elected,” he said.
Makuza noted that the position carries a three-year term. He replaces Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, former President of Burundi, who chaired the first cohort of the Council.
Other members include Gen. Coletha of Uganda, Lt. Gen. Joseph Ndayishimiye of Burundi, and Brig. Gen. Mubarakh of Sudan.
The representative from Somalia who was meant to join the Council communicated that he was ill, meaning a replacement will be appointed.
“We are responsible for preventing conflicts, identifying potential areas of tension, advising leaders on possible solutions, and discussing any issues that may threaten security in a particular country or within the region,” Makuza said.
Sudan is the top priority
According to Makuza, the Council’s immediate focus is on efforts to help restore peace in Sudan and South Sudan.
“For now, the decision we made is that Sudan will be our primary focus, but other matters will also follow—including the impact of the conflict in Congo on EASF member states. We may address these as well, but the target we agreed on is to prioritize Sudan and South Sudan,” he said.
He acknowledged that the Council faces challenges, particularly limited financial resources, due to some member states failing to pay their contributions. Rwanda has fulfilled its contributions up to 2025.
“About four countries have not yet paid. Contributions come from member states, the African Union Commission, and other partners,” he said.
A meeting of EASF Ministers is scheduled for December 13–18, during which an increase in the Council’s budget will be proposed.
It is also expected that before April 2026, Rwanda will appoint a new Director-General to serve at the Secretariat in Nairobi. The position is currently held by a Kenyan national.
The EASF standby force is composed of troops from Djibouti, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Kenya, the Comoros, and Ethiopia.
Seychelles previously belonged to the group but requested to withdraw, while Eritrea and South Sudan are being evaluated for possible membership.
