Barroso confirms the launch of the mission in Niger at the end of July

(BRUSSELS2) On the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister of Niger to Brussels, the President of the European Commission, J.-M. Barroso, announced (confirmed for our readers...) the launch of a CSDP mission in Niger: she “should start its activities from the end of July 2012". He recalled that this civilian mission has a double objective: “ support for internal security forces " and " Right wing state ».

All of the Sahel concerned

Although the mission will be deployed in Niger and will focus on this country, Mr Barroso recalls that it is Niger but also the entire Sahel region that " are threatened by instability, in particular because of the situation in Mali ". This situation " we are very concernedhe declares. " We do not want to see the development of insecurity and the risk of terrorist violence which threaten Africa but also the European Union which is a neighbor of Africa and this part of Africa in particular. ". The EU therefore has a particular duty to help Niger, as well as the other countries in the area, to contain the risks of destabilization, to support the most vulnerable countries, such as Niger, and to accompany the regional processes of mediation and crisis resolution in Mali ».

Support for internal security forces

In addition to this mission, the president also mentions "several projects with a security dimension in the justice sector with support for the Internal Security Forceswhich the Commission finances.

Read also: sahel section

• 3,5 PeSDC missions in the starting blocks
• The mission in the Sahel reviewed in the light of the situation in Mali?
• Stabilization in Mali, a new challenge for the 27
• The PSDC Niger operation: 5 threats hanging over the country. Mission objectives
• The training of gendarmes in Niger, a challenge for the future EU "Sahel" mission