MOGADISHU, December 18, 2025 (Somalia Tribune) – The Minister of Defence of the Federal Government of Somalia, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, on Tuesday officially handed over the leadership of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) to the Republic of Uganda, marking the end of Somalia’s one-year chairmanship.
The handover ceremony took place in Mogadishu during the 35th Ordinary Meeting of EASF Defence Ministers, which concluded today. Uganda assumed the chairmanship of both the EASF Policy Committee and the Military Chiefs.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Fiqi reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to regional peace and security, stressing that the Federal Government will continue to actively participate in joint efforts aimed at promoting stability across the Horn of Africa.
“Somalia remains fully committed to supporting the Eastern Africa Standby Force and playing a key role in strengthening regional cooperation for peace and security,” Fiqi said.
During its tenure, Somalia hosted several high-level EASF meetings that enhanced coordination among member states. The country hosted the EASF gatherings twice within one year, underscoring its growing role in regional security cooperation.
The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) is a regional mechanism made up of military, police, and civilian components, established to respond rapidly to peacekeeping, security, and humanitarian emergencies across member countries.
Somalia assumed the EASF leadership from Djibouti one year ago. The chairmanship is rotated annually among defence ministers of the participating states.
