Rwanda’s Col. Muzungu Munyaneza will conclude his three-year mandate as the Commander of the Eastern African Standby Brigade (EASBRIG), today.

According to minutes of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Col. Munyaneza will hand over the EASBRIG duties to a Sudanese army officer.

Army and Defence spokesperson, Maj. Jill Rutaremara, said yesterday that the hand-over ceremony will be held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi where the headquarters of EASBRIG’s coordinating mechanism (EASBRIG-COM) are based.

"Munyaneza was the Chief of Staff of EASBRIG’s planning element which is based in Nairobi. He is scheduled to hand over tomorrow, and travel home the next day,” said Maj. Rutaremara.

The establishment of the EASBRIG-COM aims to provide the Eastern Africa region with appropriate capabilities to prevent and manage conflicts, and facilitate rebuilding.

The 13-country grouping is working to develop a fully operational multi-dimensional and integrated standby force that will be ready for deployment by 2015, with an initial operational capability by 2010.

Member countries include Rwanda, Djibouti, the Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Sudan and Uganda; aim to develop a continental capability to respond to crises like conflicts and disasters.

Ends