MOGADISHU-Somalia has opened the 35th Ordinary Policy Organs Meeting of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) at the technical level, hosted in Mogadishu, the Ministry of Defence said.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Abdifatah Abdulkadir Farah, officially launched the meeting, which is expected to review EASF operational plans for the 2025–2026 period, consider proposed budgets, and examine financial accountability reports and recommendations prepared by specialised committees.

“The ongoing sessions will focus on strengthening the operational readiness and institutional capacity of the EASF and analysing the impacts of the ongoing conflicts across the region,” Farah said.

He added that the technical meetings will be followed by high-level discussions among chiefs of defence from EASF member states, and later a conference of defence ministers from contributing nations. The meeting is scheduled to conclude on 18 December, with outcomes expected to shape EASF policy direction and its roadmap for the next two years.