EU SSR Guinea-Bissau: the mission ends prematurely

(BRUSSELS2) Yes! The decision in principle has been taken since the last COPS meeting (1). The EU security forces reform mission in Guinea-Bissau will officially end its provisional term on 30 September. The CIVCOM (the committee responsible for civilian aspects of EU crisis management) is expected to address the issue on Friday.

A premature end

This anticipated closure of the mission is linked to political and military events in this West African state, considered internationally as a narco-state. In April, the Chief of Staff (José Zamora Induta) and the Prime Minister (Carlos Gomez Junior) were arrested (2) by a group of mutineers led by the Deputy Chief of Staff (Antonio Indjai) and supported by the Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Bubo Na Tchute. A troubled figure, suspected of covering up some of the cocaine trafficking and another (failed) coup in August 2008. The Prime Minister was then released but placed under house arrest (3).

The EU then put a question mark on the future of its mission. The EU SSR mission had thus only been extended, at the end of May, by four months. And a new head of mission, a Colonel, appointed on July 1, Fernando Afonso. The confirmation of the new Chief of Staff and the de facto passage of the civilian government under the control of the military command sounded the death knell for the European operation; the EU deciding to end its cooperation with the former Portuguese colony (1).

A first in the history of European defense

This is the first time in the short history of Defense Europe that a mission has ended prematurely in this way. And there is a bit of bitterness among the officers who took part in this mission, especially for General Esteban Verástegui, who was its first leader and did not spare his efforts (4), with certain results beginning to show. to make felt.

Today, the technical and administrative details of the end of the mission still need to be specified (hence the subject of Friday's meeting, which could be followed by others at the end of August or the beginning of September, if necessary) . On the spot, in the capital Bissau, only 4 EU officers remain.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(1) Read: The future of European engagement in Guinea-Bissau discussed. Suspension of the EUSSR mission?

(2) An event which is added to the successive assassination of the previous Chief of Staff and the President of the Republic Vieira in 2009.

(3) Without laughing the current President of the Republic, Malam Bacaï Sanha qualified these arrests "a tragic accident between the military leaders of the barracks which troubled the country for a few hours" (read on Afrik.com)

(4) Consult his interview at the start of the mission: Guinea-Bissau Mission: “rebuilding from zero” (Gen. Verástegui)