NAIROBI, Kenya - On September 23, 2024, Brigadier General Stephen Kashure, Joint Chief of Staff of the East African Standby Force (EASF), officially inaugurated a workshop aimed at developing a counter-terrorism syllabus at the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) in Karen, Nairobi.

 The workshop focuses on creating course content and identifying thematic areas for the counter-terrorism syllabus, ultimately culminating to the compilation of a comprehensive curriculum for the EASF.

In his opening remarks, Brigadier General Kashure emphasized the urgent need to address the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism across Africa. He noted that these issues are expanding both in scale and geographical reach, leading to devastating impacts on human lives, widespread destruction of property and infrastructure, and significant disruptions to livelihoods. Civilians, particularly women and children, are often the most affected and vulnerable in these situations.

“The development of this curriculum is crucial for building the capacity of national and regional forces, such as the East African Standby Force, to prepare for interventions in counter-terrorism and the prevention of violent extremism,” he stated. He further stressed that addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts among member states rather than isolated actions by individual countries.

The ceremony was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Yegon, Chief Instructor at the IPSTC; Captain Elias Benyu, the lead facilitator; and representatives from various EASF member states, among others. The workshop aims to foster a unified approach to counter-terrorism training in the region, enhancing the effectiveness of collective security efforts.