African security experts meet in Victoria Falls

Leonard Ncube , Victoria Falls Reporter
AFRICAN defence, peace and security experts met here yesterday to review progress made towards the operationalisation of the Africa Standby Force (ASF) ahead of a meeting of Defence Ministers from the African Union member states.

At their meeting, the experts also recommended the adoption of Information Communication Technologies in the security sector.
Zimbabwe is hosting the 8th ordinary meeting of the Specialised Technical Committee of the Ministers of Defence, Safety and Security (STCDSS).

The STCDSS experts meeting started yesterday and will end today, with the African Chiefs of Defence, Staff and Heads of Safety and security meeting expected to take place tomorrow followed by a ministerial meeting on Friday that is expected to be addressed by AU chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

The Commission for Peace and Security is expected to issue a statement on key issues tomorrow during the meeting’s official opening.
Yesterday, the STCDSS experts were engaged in a series of closed door meetings.

Sources who attended the meetings said the issue of the adoption of ICT was topical as participants felt there was a need to embrace technological advances in the security sector.

“The discussions are mainly on issues of security but one topic that was touched on is that of the need to venture into ICT.
“Member states feel the ASF should be equipped with technological advances for a successful operationalisation,” said a source.

AU member-states have up to December to set up a continental peacekeeping force after missing previous deadlines to do so.

The military force is expected to maintain peace and stability on the continent and should be prepared and equipped to intervene in regional hotspots at short notice.

Delays in establishing a standby force has seen former colonisers intervening in African disputes such as in Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) two years ago.

Addressing delegates on Monday, AU Peace and Security Council secretary Admore Kambudzi said significant progress had been made so far while efforts were being made to operationalise a continental logistics base and regional depots as well as the ASF command, control and communication information systems.