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The EASF is made up of four key structures namely:

Eastern Africa Standby Force Secretariat (EASFSEC)

EASFSEC is located in Nairobi, Kenya and serves as the Secretariat for all EASF policy organs, structures and activities. It coordinates EASF activities in consultation with relevant authorities of Member States and the African Union.
EASFSEC is led by a Director and Heads of Departments appointed by the Council of Ministers of Defence and Security.
EASFSEC’s mandate includes implementation of EASF policies, development and review of EASF policy documents for approval by the Council of Ministers, mobilization of resources in collaboration with African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other sources, management of the EASF Fund, dissemination of information and public relation activities as well as liaising with AU, RECs and other organizations on matters relating to EASF.

Planning Element (PLANELM)
Located in Nairobi, Kenya, PLANELM serves as a multi-national and multidimensional full time planning headquarters for EASF within the framework of the African Standby Force.  PLANELM seeks to establish a Force capable of planning and preparing for complex Peace Support Operations (PSO) that include reconnaissance, mounting, deployment and employment of up to a brigade size force including police and other civilians components in a theatre of operations to address the six scenarios defined within the Policy Framework for the Establishment of the ASF.

PLANELM comprises a military component, a police component and a civilian component on secondment from all EASF Member States.

The Military Component of the PLANELM has been in operation since 2004 when the Assembly adopted the Policy Framework establishing the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade (EASBRIG), which was renamed as the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) since 2011. It is responsible for force preparation and pre-deployment planning of the EASF.

The Police Component of the PLANELM, established since 2008, is EASF’s instrument to develop a Police Component for Peace Support Operations in Eastern Africa and across the African continent. In the same vein, the Civilian Component of the PLANELM, established in 2008, undertakes substantive and supportive civilian functions in a peace support operations mission including political affairs; planning  and coordination; legal advice; public information; human rights; electoral management and observation; civil affairs; child protection and protection of civilians.

Eastern Africa Standby Force Headquarters
Located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Eastern Africa Standby Force Headquarters is made up of regional military and civilian staff on secondment from EASF Member States. It serves as a command headquarters for force preparation and operational command of the Standby Force. Upon deployment, the Force comes under the operational control of the African Union or the United Nations, as applicable. It works with PLANELM to prepare the mission Force Headquarters' structure and plans.

The Logistics Base (LOGBASE)
Located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Logistics Base serves as the central regional base for sub-depots and for maintaining, storage and management of the logistical infrastructure of the EASF.

The Logistics Base receives personnel, material and other resources to be maintained and supplied for training and operations of EASF.  It coordinates all activities involving logistics of EASF, including, but not limited to, performing functions mandated by the African Union.

EASF Partners

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Friends of EASF/Partners

EU	Germany	UNDP	Japan
	Denmark (NACS)	Finland (NACS)	Norway(NACS)	Sweden (NACS)
UK	France	Netherlands	USA

EASF works closely with various partners in the realization of its mandate at national, regional and international levels. These partners have provided necessary financial, logistical, and technical support, in addition to providing expertise. The key partners include Japan through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Germany through GIZ, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The African Union, the umbrella organization for the EASF, also provides financial assistance to the EASF through its European Union Peace Facility programme. France and the United States of America also provide technical assistance to EASF.

EASF is working closely with the African Union as well as RECs in the Eastern Africa Region and beyond. In this regard, it is signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Area of Peace and Security between the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities and the Coordinating Mechanisms of the Regional Standby Brigades of Eastern Africa and Northern Africa since 2008. Negotiation on conclusion of a cooperation agreement that builds on and strengthens this multilateral Memorandum of Understanding in the area of peace and security with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a sister organization in the Eastern Africa Region, is at an advanced stage. Further, EASF has commenced negotiation on cooperation arrangements with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). It intends to do the same with the East African Community (EAC) in the near future.

EASF continues to work closely with all stakeholders in peace and security in Africa.

EASF Organs

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Organs of EASF

In order to ensure the realization of its vision and mission, the EASF affairs are managed by Policy Organs, which are structured at three levels, namely: the Assembly of Eastern Africa Heads of State and Government, the Eastern Africa Council of Ministers of Defence and Security, and the Eastern Africa Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (EACDS).

The Assembly

The Assembly is the supreme authority of the EASF. It consists of the Heads of State and Government of Member States. It formulates policy, directs and controls the functioning of the EASF. The Assembly authorizes the deployment of the EASF in accordance with the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the PSC Protocol.

The Assembly meets once a year and at any time upon the request of any Member State and upon the agreement of the majority of the Member States.

The  Council of Ministers of Defence and Security

The Council of Ministers is made up of Ministers of Defence and Security of the EASF Member States that are signatory to the MOU.

The Council of Ministers manages all aspects relating to the EASF. The Council appoints Director and Heads of Department of the EASFSEC, the heads of EASF Structures as well as the EASF Commander upon recommendation of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff for stand-alone missions within the Eastern Africa region. The Council meets twice a year.

The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (EACDS)

The Committee is made up of the Chiefs of Defence Staff of EASF Member States signatory to the MOU.

The Committee serves as an advisory Military Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Assembly. It oversees, directs and manages the PLANELM, the Standby Brigade Headquarters, and the Logistics Base on all matters and oversees and directs the EASFSEC on technical matters. The Committee meets twice a year.   

About EASF

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About the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF)

The Eastern Africa Standby Force is a regional organization whose mandate is to enhance peace and security in the Eastern Africa region.  It is one of the five regional multidimensional Forces of the African Standby Force (ASF) consisting of Military, Police and Civilian components.  EASF was established as a regional mechanism to provide capability for rapid deployment of forces to carry out preventive deployment, rapid intervention, peace support/stability operations and peace enforcement.  

Vision
To contribute to regional and continental peace, security, stability and enhance regional integration.

Mission
To maintain and sustain a fully operational and multidimensional integrated standby force ready to respond to emerging crises.

The need for a common African Defence and Security mechanism was a key feature of the Inaugural Summit of the African Union (AU), held in Durban, South Africa, in July 2002. The African leaders felt compelled to develop African solutions that would respond to the multifaceted challenges threatening stability, security and cooperation on the continent.  

Consequently, through the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (PSC), the African Standby Force (ASF) was established as part of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). The Peace and Security Council Protocol (PSCP) covers a comprehensive agenda for peace and security. This includes conflict prevention, early warning and preventive diplomacy, peace-building, intervention and humanitarian action, and disaster management. The other components of APSA set up by the PSC Protocol include the Continental Early Warning System; the Panel of the Wise; and the Peace Fund.   

The ASF comprises multi-national and multi-disciplinary Civilian, Police and Military components held on standby in their countries of origin in the five regions of the African Union. These regions are:

1. Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF)
2. Northern Standby Brigade (NARC)
3. Western Africa Standby Brigade (ECOWAS)
4. Central African Standby Brigade (ECCAS)
5. Southern Africa Standby Brigade (SADC)

These components stay on standby for rapid deployment at appropriate notice as provided for in the six peace support operations scenarios of the ASF.

The establishment of EASF follows the decision of the Summit of the African Union held in July 2004 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to create the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade (EASBRIG). The MOU, signed in April 2005 (and as amended in January 2011) expressly establishes the EASF as a constituent organization of the African Standby Force (ASF).

In March 2007, the Council of Ministers for Defence and Security established a Coordination Mechanism called EASFCOM (formerly EASBRICOM).  The establishment is based on past experiences of conflicts in Africa, such as the Rwanda Genocide, war in Sudan, war in Somalia among others.  The Eastern Africa region continues to be faced with challenges of conflict and internal problems impacting on peace and security.

in 2014, the Council of Ministers for Defence and Security elevated EASFCOM's status to a full secretariat, the Eastern Africa Standby Force Secretariat (EASFSEC).

Membership
The Eastern Africa Region, represented by the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) , is one of five regions of the African Peace and Security Architecture and is, as such, developing the standby force, as a component of the ASF. Currently, the EASF draws its membership from 10 active Member States including Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, which are signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (MOU).  

The Republic of South Sudan enjoys the status of observer in EASF since April 2013 and is expected to become a full member any time soon.