EASF Launches Battle Group Commanders’ PSO Training of Trainers Course in Rwanda

Musanze, Rwanda – 8 September 2025 – The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) has officially launched the Battle Group Commanders’ Training of Trainers (ToT) Course in Peace Support Operations (PSO) at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze, Rwanda.

The two-week course, which runs from 8 to 19 September 2025, aims to equip future trainers with the necessary skills to prepare commanders for high-level operational and tactical planning. It also focuses on enhancing their ability to respond to modern population-centric challenges in multidimensional peace operations, particularly from the perspectives of battle group and sector command.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga, Defense and Military Spokesperson of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF). In his keynote address, Brig Gen Rwivanga commended EASF for its steadfast commitment to regional peace and security.

“This course marks a critical milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen the operational readiness and interoperability of our forces,” he said. He further highlighted the vital role that battle group commanders play in planning and executing complex operations amid today’s asymmetric threats, transnational challenges, and fragile political environments.

Other notable attendees included the Director of the Rwanda Peace Academy, Colonel (Rtd) Jill Rutaremara, and Mr. Kenneth Goren Albret, Coordinator of the International Advisory Coordination Staff (IACS).

Course participants have been drawn from seven EASF Member States: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Among them are EASF staff officers from both the Force Headquarters and the Planning Element.

Colonel Erick Lovega of Kenya is leading a team of regional facilitators tasked with delivering the comprehensive training program.

The Training of Trainers course is a key component in EASF’s broader mandate to enhance regional capacity in peace support operations, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, coordination, and command leadership.