From 2 to 6 September 2024, UNOAU provided technical support to the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force in the facilitation of two courses, namely, Force Headquarters Staff Officers Training of Trainers and African Union (AU) Compliance and Accountability Framework.

In his opening remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, General Mubarakh Muganga, emphasized the important role of the EASF in the management of conflicts in Africa, and urged all participants to take advantage of the course to enhance their ability to deliver training in military planning in preparation for deployment into EASF and AU mandated PSOs.

The EASF Staff Officers course was designed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills in military planning and decision-making in EASF peace support operations (PSOs). Meanwhile, the Compliance and Accountability training for SADC aimed to enhance the capacity of SADC Member States to plan and deploy PSOs in compliance with international human rights law, including regional human rights instruments, international humanitarian law as well as applicable standards of conduct and discipline.

The training saw the participation of 29 senior military officers in the EASF course, and 28 civilian, military, and police personnel for the SADC course. Both sessions were critical in equipping key personnel with the expertise needed to enhance peacekeeping efforts across Africa.