Nairobi, Kenya (CNSNews.com) - Africa has edged closer to establishing a home-grown peacekeeping and defense force after defense ministers, meeting under the auspices of the African Union (AU), agreed to a common defense and security policy.

During talks on Friday in Ethiopia, the defense chiefs accepted a report proposing the creation of a continent-wide stand-by force.

Military commanders from numerous African countries first agreed in May 2003 to establish a peacekeeping force within the next few years, designed to intervene in conflicts like those currently underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Liberia and Burundi.

The force will be formed under the AU's Security Council, a key organ responsible for enhancing capacity for conflict management and peace building, ministers meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa agreed.

The plan is seen here as a welcome departure from the haphazard and, in most instances, "don't care" attitude that African nations are used to displaying during periods of internal or inter-state conflicts.

Instead of relying on foreign military assistance to stabilize conflict areas, Africa now wants to have its own robust peacekeeping force to undertake such duties, said AU Deputy Commissioner Patrick Mazumhaka.

One of the driving aims behind the establishment of the stand-by force is to ensure sustainable development in Africa through prudent management of peace and security.

An uncertain security situation has jeopardized prospects of attracting foreign investments into Africa, according to the World Bank. Poor security along with corruption and poor infrastructure contribute to a reduction in Africa's investment returns from 30 per cent to 7 percent, compared to 10 percent in Europe.

The stand-by force plan involves formation of regionally based brigades, with each country in the region pledging troops and logistical support, initially to United Nations missions and later to AU observer missions.

Ambassador Seid Djinnit, the AU's peace and security commissioner, said the establishment of the continent's defence force could be an alternative used in resolving Africa's conflicts.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), one of the five regional blocs on the continent, has already initiated plans to set up its force.

Mohlabi Tsekoa, the chairman of SADC ministers of defence and security, said there is a need to develop an early warning system, which has previously been lacking in Africa.

"Africa feels that more often than not we delay to get to know of an impending crisis whether it is in Sierra Leone, Liberia or Burundi, we delay to know because we do not have early warning system," Tsekoa said.

Security analyst Jan Kamenju of the Nairobi-based Security Research and Information Center said it would be possible but expensive to establish the envisaged force.

He said the force will "greatly borrow from lessons learned by African forces that have participated in international peacekeeping missions."

The AU has already launched a pilot peacekeeping initiative in Burundi, where rival forces have been holding peace talks to end a longstanding ethnic conflict.

Military personnel from South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique are currently deployed there to ensure that a recently signed cease-fire agreement between the government and rebel groups is respected.

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