East Africa: Eleven nations to provide troops to AU Standby Force

A 3,000-strong East African brigade will soon be on standby to carry out peacekeeping operations under the flag of the African Union (AU). Defense chiefs from 11 nations agreed on Friday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, to set up the unit. "The force should be able to respond to threats to peace on the continent," Gen. James Kabarebe, chief of staff of the Rwanda Defence Forces, told IRIN on Friday.