NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 9 – The United Kingdom on Monday pledged financial support to regional peace support initiatives spearheaded by East Africa’s standby brigade of the military.
British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Macaire said his government would extend several million pounds to ensure the initiative succeeded, but did not reveal the exact amount.
“We are spending millions of pounds a year in developing our support for this regional peace cooperation as one of our top priorities,” he said at the opening of the Regional Senior Mission Leader’s course in Nairobi. Participants are of the rank of colonel to general (including police and civilian equivalents).
He said British professionals had been working with their Kenyan counterparts in the army.
“They are very experienced professionals on peace keeping missions and I am sure they will help develop this initiative,” he added.
Monday’s seminar was attended by representatives from 12 countries in the region.
They include Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Burundi. Others are from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Djibouti, and Ghana.
Deputy Chief of General Staff Julius Karangi said the seminar was aimed at strengthening the senior leadership within the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade (EASBRIG).
In order to do so he said, the seminar would provide a forum in which participants would be exposed to the aspects of leadership and management.
“This will help boost the planning and conduct of peace operations,” he said.
Participants at the 10-day workshop will cover among other things peace building, and security sector reform.
“They will also undergo integrated training on strategic thinking and collaborative decision making,” he said.
