Closing of the recruitment, verification and validation exercise for civilian experts of the African Standby Force

On Thursday, 29 October 2026, Ambassador Else NIZIGAMA NTAMAGIRO, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, presided over the closing of the recruitment, verification and validation exercise for participants to be registered in the database of the African Standby Force (ASF).
In her closing remarks, the Assistant to the Minister stressed that the three intensive days of work, from 27 to 29 October 2026, devoted to the verification and validation of applications, might appear administrative in nature but in reality were of major strategic importance. According to her, this exercise contributes directly to strengthening the credibility, availability and operational effectiveness of the African Standby Force.
Ms. Else NIZIGAMA NTAMAGIRO recalled that the objective was not simply to populate a database, but to select professionals on the basis of real and proven skills, beyond mere titles or qualifications. The exercise consisted in particular of assessing the availability, training received and deployment readiness of each civilian candidate. She added that competency-based interviews had made it possible to ensure that the selected candidates possess the skills required to be mobilized within the framework of African Union-mandated peace support operations.
Referring to Burundi’s commitment, the Assistant to the Minister indicated that by hosting this exercise, the country reaffirms its attachment to pan-African ideals and its constant commitment to peace, security and stability on the continent.
On behalf of the Government of Burundi, she expressed her gratitude to the EASF Secretariat for the quality of the organization and the smooth running of the proceedings, as well as to the entire team responsible for conducting the interviews. She also extended her thanks to the Government of Denmark for its technical and financial support, as well as to the Ministry of National Defence and Veterans for its excellent collaboration in organizing this activity.

She specified that the selected candidates will be registered in the African Standby Force database for a period of five years and will remain available for possible rapid deployment. In this regard, they were invited to ensure the regular updating of their profiles in order to guarantee that the information concerning them remains current.
Addressing the challenges encountered during the exercise, the Assistant to the Minister notably raised certain constraints related to the accessibility of the registration system as well as the procedures for updating the data of candidates already verified and validated. She invited the EASF Secretariat to bring these concerns to the attention of the competent bodies and to advocate for improved access to the system.
In concluding her remarks, the Assistant to the Minister wished all participants a safe return to their respective countries and officially declared closed the recruitment, verification and validation exercise organized by the EASF in Bujumbura.