Africa needs standby force to tackle al-Shabaab threat

Since this is already the normative state in which the AU exists, the ASF as an instrument with which the AU can achieve the goal of maintaining political stability, protecting human rights and promoting principles of democratic governance across the AU is already legally a feasible option to deal with present and emerging threats.

Certainly, Africom does not allow such a situation as things stand.

For way too long, the continent has relied on Westerners to offer it solutions to the myriad problems it faces.

This approach has not worked. Instead, the continent has sunk deeper into trouble besides becoming dependent on foreign actors who do not have its best interests at heart.

It is therefore imperative that as the African leaders meet in Kampala they consider as an urgent priority the establishment of an ASF.  

The writer is a regional security analyst.