The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has been declared ready to participate in regional peace support operations after a verification exercise by the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) confirmed the country’s preparedness for rapid deployment.
The assessment, conducted on Friday at the International Peace Support Operations Training Centre (IPSO-TC) in Singo, Nakaseke District, evaluated the personnel and equipment Uganda has committed to the regional standby force under the EASF Activity Plan 2026.
Leading the EASF delegation, Force Commander Brig Gen Stephen Maina Huria praised the UPDF for its professionalism, high training standards and commitment to strengthening regional security.
“We are really excited and happy that you have joined in this, and we are in this together because when you consider yourself as East Africa’s Standby Force, you’re part of it. I am really impressed by the way you conduct your training. It is very detailed,” Brig Gen Huria said.
He said the exercise had confirmed that the battalion was operationally ready to support future regional peace missions.
“The troops are mission-ready and highly motivated, well equipped for the task. I can assure you, I am fully satisfied that your forces are ready,” he added.
The Commandant of the International Peace Support Operations Training Centre, Col Moses Nabaasa, said the facility plays a central role in preparing military personnel for regional and international peace operations, reflecting Uganda’s long-standing commitment to collective security under the African Union and international frameworks.
He cited Uganda’s contributions to peace support missions in Somalia, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among other theatres.
“Our commitment has been demonstrated through our contributions to global peace and security through active participation in peace support operations in various regional countries,” Col Nabaasa said.
He noted that the standby force had been trained in line with EASF and United Nations standards and remains ready for deployment at short notice.
“We have no doubt that our Standby Force has all the attributes required. Once given an opportunity at short notice to operate in any environment, we are always ready for the cause,” he said.
According to Col Nabaasa, the contingent has undergone extensive individual and collective training to meet operational requirements and improve interoperability with other regional forces.
The verification exercise also assessed Uganda’s pledged police and civilian components, in line with the African Union Peace and Security Architecture’s multidimensional approach to peace support operations.
The Eastern Africa Standby Force is a regional security mechanism comprising Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. It was established to strengthen collective responses to conflicts and humanitarian crises across Eastern Africa.
