EASF command hosts after action review workshop in Seychelles |07 June 2022
Minister Fonseka launching the workshop (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
Seychelles is currently hosting the ‘after action review workshop’ of the Eastern Africa Standby Force command post exercise 2022 – Exercise Mashariki Salaam 2022 which was held in Kenya from March 21 to April 3.
The review workshop, which was officially opened by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, started yesterday at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel and will end on June 10.
The aim of this ‘after action review’ is to review, analyse and discuss the lessons identified in the first impression report of the CPX 2022, with a view to codifying the report itself and developing the necessary action plan for implementation of the recommendations. The purpose is to assess how the CPX 2022 was conducted by allowing the planners and the exercise participants to reflect on what happened, in a bid do draw lessons from it, identify gaps and design an action plan for the future management of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF). This will further aid in refining EASF’s conceptual documents.
The EASF planning element (PLANELM) joint chief of staff, Brig. Gen. PSC Dr Osman Mohammed Abbas on behalf of the EASF director, Brig Gen Getachew Shiferaw Fayisa, thanked the government of Seychelles for hosting the workshop and for the hospitality accorded to the participants. He expressed appreciation to the EASF membersand noted that this demonstrates clearly the commitment that we all have towards striving for peace, security and stability in our region.
“I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all of us for the successful conduct of the CPX, which was achieved from the efforts put by each and every one of the individuals who participated at the exercise, even as I recognise that the exercise was conducted with the guidance of our regional experts, the EXCON advisors. This is an indication that EASF is developing capacity in the region, and we should be proud of such an achievement,” said Dr Osman Mohammed Abbas.
Dr Osman Abbas explained that during the next four days,the participants will have to reflect on the principal objective of the conduct of the command post exercise 2022, Mashariki Salaam III, and to deliberate on the extent to which that objective was achieved during the exercise play.
“We also need to deliberate on what we feel was not accomplished or what did not meet our expectations as participants of the exercise. Let us also ask ourselves whether our goals were achieved in an effective and efficient manner or whether we needed to have used a differentapproach. What were the constraints to the effective conduct of the exercise? If this was a real EASF peace support mission, considering the conditions and circumstances, what would have been the outcome of the mission?”
The CPX 2022, Mashariki Salaam III was aimed at testing the tools, the readiness of the pledged capabilities from the ten member states, and their ability to work together in complex multi-dimensional peace support operations despite coming from diverse cultural environments within the region.
In his opening remarks, Minister Fonseka said that from the inception of EASF, and since signing the agreement on establishing the standby force in June 2014, Seychelles has continually demonstrated its commitment by participating in the activities organised by the secretariat. “Seychelles congratulates the Republic of Kenya for hosting the command post exercise in March which tested and consolidated the preparedness of the EASF to participate in peace support operations. The training strengthened the integrated approach for civilians, police and military coordination. I wish to commend the secretariat and member states for carrying out the exercise in spite of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. This after action review of the CPX is an important opportunity for the secretariat and member states to examine their experiences and perceptions of the exercise, to identify the successes, challenges, as well as make recommendations following the exercise. It is hoped that the workshop will recommit member states to EASF's work to enhance the stability, peace, and security of the region. EASF will continue to receive the unequivocal support of the Seychelles Government as we work together to assure the safety and stability of our region,” said Minister Fonseka.
Colonel Soilihi Abdallah Raffick, chief of staff ‒ military component at EASF, added that delegates are from 10 member states ‒ Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda and Uganda.
Lina Hoareau, head of administration and finance for EASF,also explained that this organisation is a multi-dimensional one which includes civilians, the police and the military.
“Each country pledges a number of people from the force to compose a stand-by force for the east African region and the secretariat’s role is to train the force, train civilians and train the military and police. Seychelles has benefited from this training and after the training, the members return back to their force which is a plus for the country. Once needed all the trained forces will be called back. We have to secure our region and our role is to have a safer eastern Africa,” added Ms Hoareau.
Vidya Gappy
