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5.5 The SADC Standby Force and the African Standby Force
The SADC Standby Force (SSF) is a regional multidimensional peace-support operations
capability established under the framework of the African Standby Force (ASF). Consisting
of military, police and civilian components, the force will rely on resources pledged by
Member States on a standby arrangement. Other support mechanisms could be in the form
of logistical and medical services. Launched in August 2007, the SADC Standby Force rep-
resents a commitment of purpose that ensures the region’s collective approach to defence
and security, protecting people and safeguarding the stability of the region.
Made up of military, police and civilian members from Member States, the Standby
Force operates as a tool of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation,
and the force supports regional peace operations under the African Standby Force Policy
Framework. The SADC Standby Force achieved Full Oper-
ational Capability in 2017, after the conduct of the Exercise
Amani Africa II in 2015. Since the attainment of this mile-
stone, the Standby Force has been preparing for its distinct
role in regional Peace and Security.

Major Training Exercises Table 5.2

Training Exercise Place Year

138 Umodzi Malawi 2018
Amani Africa II South Africa 2015
Golfinho South Africa 2009
Thokgamo Botswana 2005
Tanzanite Tanzania 2002
Blue Crane South Africa 1999
Blue Hungwe Zimbabwe 1997

Amani Africa was a continental training exercise, first hosted by Ethiopia in 2010
Source SADC, SARDC, AU

From January to June 2019, the SADC region took its turn as the lead region for the
African Standby Force to deploy anywhere in the continent in case of need, by a decision of
the African Union. The ASF, which became fully operational in 2016, is an important tool
of the African peace and security architecture for the prevention, management and resol-
ution of conflicts in the continent. The ASF is based on standby arrangements among Af-
rica’s five sub-regions of North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa and Southern
Africa, who agreed to be placed on a six-monthly rotational basis to lead the ASF.
In preparation for this responsibility, SADC conducted a Command Post Exercise at
the Malawi Armed Forces College in Salima, Malawi in October 2018, among others, to har-
monize Standard Operating Procedures for Peace Support Operations (PSOs). Some of the
preparatory work for the Exercise was conducted at the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Train-
ing Centre (RPTC) which hosted a Scenario Development Workshop and an Integrated Ex-
ercise Planning Course earlier in the year in Harare, Zimbabwe, drawing participants from
14 Member States. The courses aimed at strengthening understanding of the Exercise plan-
ning techniques by sharing essential skills such as mastering appropriate attitudes required
for effective coordination of integrated multidimensional PSO Exercises. The course aimed
to broaden the Exercise planning capacities of the SADC Standby Force at Regional and
Member State levels, following another course the previous year for Integrated Mission Op-
erational Commanders to strengthen management and leadership capacities.