APA-Kigali (Rwanda) The Eastern African Standby Brigade (EASBRIG) military joint military exercises from member states earlier scheduled for between November 16 and 29 in Djibouti have been delayed, APA learns here on Sunday.

According to the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson, Maj. Jill Rutaremara, in an interview with APA, the exercise was postponed to sometime later this month.

He however insisted that the Rwandan military contingent to be led by Lt. Col. Rugumya Gacinya, is ready and the airlifting of personnel and equipment is set for November 24.

“It is the ministers of defence and chiefs of defence staffs (CDSs) who fixed the date and the exercise will now start on November 25 and end on December 7,” said Rutaremara.

The Rwandan contingent will be made of 176 soldiers excluding other staff officers.

EASBRIG is presently 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.

The force will be drawn from the 13 member states - Rwanda, Djibouti, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Burundi, Sudan and Uganda.

EASBRIG member countries aim to develop a continental capability to respond to conflicts and disasters.