African Union Says Progressing to Military Force by End-2015 - Reuters
Africa is making progress towards a regional military force by the end of next year, a senior African Union official said on Wednesday, as local leaders urged less reliance on foreign intervention.
Delays in implementing the African Standby Force (ASF) forced African states to request French intervention to tackle crises last year in Mali and Central African Republic.
African officials have voiced scepticism that the 5,000-strong force, under discussion for more than a decade, would be ready by next year's delayed deadline, prompting African leaders to approve a stop-gap rapid reaction force last year.
Smail Chergui, the 54-nation African Union's Commissioner for Peace and Security, said four of the five regional brigades due to make up the Standby Force were in an advanced state of readiness, including the North African one…