EUTM Somalia launched, clear US participation, first details
(BRUSSELS2) The decision to launch the military training mission for Somali soldiers (EUTM Somalia) was officially approved late Wednesday afternoon (by written procedure). The launch will be effective on April 7. The EU mission - which aims to train 2000 troops in two waves of six months - will take place in cooperation with US and Ugandan forces. Here are the first details.
140 Europeans
The workforce is almost reached today. There are about a hundred trainers (exactly 96 at the last tally) and 41 personnel at the General Staff. A liaison cell will be based in Nairobi with the United Nations and AMISOM. About fifteen European countries have precisely confirmed their participation: Spain (38), France (26), Italy (18), Portugal (15) and Germany (13) supply most of the effective. Belgium (7 people), Ireland (5*), Finland (4), Hungary (4), Sweden (4), Malta (3) Greece (2), and the United Kingdom (2 ).
A few remarks can be made:
- the weakness of the British participation, astonishing and unjustifiable. And still it is only within the General Staff without trainers on site!
- the significant Irish participation when we consider the debates that animated the campaign to ratify the last European treaty (Treaty of Lisbon);
- the significant participation of Portugal (rather sparing in European missions);
- a major absentee (for now), the Poles;
- the presence of a single headquarters, on the ground. Gone is the OHQ/FHQ dichotomy.
There is still one point that is in the process of being settled: medical support (1). It could be outsourced. And partly financed by a third country: the Japanese for example. Japanese very present in East Africa and very committed to supporting the Somali government. Other countries will participate from a logistical point of view in the operation.
A serious American boost
In general, the United States provides notable support for the initiative. The Somali soldiers will be transported to Uganda at Entebbe by planes chartered by the United States then by the Ugandans to the Bihanga camp (same for the return). The trainees will be dressed and given individual equipment by the Americans; Egypt will also provide uniforms (about 10.000). Trainees will receive $100 in allowances per month (this commitment should be recorded in fiscal year 2011). The Ugandans will give the trainees an AK-47 type light weapon and two ammunition stores. The principle, in fact, is that the trainees arrive in Bihanga dressed and equipped. The translation will be carried out by a body of interpreters (about fifteen) financed by the Europeans.
On the spot, the EU builds a camp
The EUTM Somalia operation includes a discrete but real logistics component. The Europeans have thus begun and financed the construction of several facilities: a camp for the 150 European instructors, dormitories for 300 trainees, a landing strip of a little less than one km to accommodate the planes, a shooting range , a training camp, and of course the place for parades and official ceremonies.
The question of recruiting recruits is vital
The trainees will be selected according to a set of 6 criteria: geographical balance and balance between clans, good physical and medical condition, being of legal age - over 18 (no question of training child soldiers), aptitude for education ( knowing that in Somalia this criterion is at least difficult to apply), a general attitude, as well as the absence of human rights violations. The selection should be made on the spot by the Somali forces but also by AMISOM. A security check will be made on each candidate (it should last a few weeks). There is indeed no question of introducing a terrorist into the Ugandan camp.
General security support
A conference is expected to be convened in May on strengthening the security sector in Somalia. In addition to the European Union and the United States, several states - Norway, Japan, the United Arab Emirates - as well as the organization of the Islamic conference - have indicated their intention to support the financing of the security sector that whether it's the armed forces but also the ports, the roads, the government, the police...
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
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