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three and a half PeSDC missions in the starting blocks

Nicolas Delcroix, the head of the EU delegation in Djibouti, reviews the troops from Marne, who are stopping over in the small Indian Ocean state (credit: French navy)

(BRUSSELS2, exclusive) After a long abstinence, this summer should see the launch of one or even several Common European Security and Defense Policy (PeSDC) missions: three civilian missions, but two with a strong military component. The first consists in strengthening the maritime capacities of the countries of the Horn of Africa (RMCB/Eucap), the second in assisting and training the security forces in Niger (a mission with a strong anti-terrorist component), the third is to more limited ambition since it is confined to Juba airport. A fourth mission is in preparation in Libya, but its format is still subject to several questions.

EUCAP mission on maritime capacity building in the Indian Ocean/Horn of Africa

After years of preparation, preparations for the Maritime Capacity Building Mission Horn of Africa (RMCB/EUCAP) are entering a final phase. The mission could even receive a nickname from Greek mythology (like several European missions): "Nestor", according to our information, the wisest of the heroes of the Trojan War from whom everyone will seek advice. The Crisis Management Concept (CMC) was adopted on December 12. An assessment mission was in Djibouti in January, the small state in the Horn of Africa A first call for names was launched in April to member states, in particular to provide candidates for the leadership of the mission but also to constitute the first nucleus of the mission. The deployment of a preliminary team will be done as soon as the recruitments have been made; interviews begin next week. The various political documents (Conops, Decision) are ready to be approved: the first by the COPS, the second by Coreper. The budget has been set at 22,8 million euros. There remains only the name of the mission leader to slip. In fact, we are also awaiting confirmation from the five countries concerned (Djibouti, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania) who must send - as usual - an official letter of invitation to the High Representative of the EU. Only Djibouti has already taken this step. The objective is to then be able to deploy the mission "by the end of July" I was told. However, it will be necessary to wait until the end of Ramadan (end of August) to effectively start all the training in all the countries.

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Implementation accelerated for the EUSEC mission in Niger

Faced with the worsening situation in Niger, the PSC ambassadors have decided to speed up the establishment of the security assistance mission in Niger. Instead of a deployment in September, the Europeans hope to deploy the mission on the ground in July. According to a latest schedule, of which B2 is aware, a technical assessment mission will be in the region in the second part of May. The concept of operations (CONOPS) should be finalized and approved by the PSC on June 17. At the same time, experts from the Relex group will finalize the text of the Council decision and the budget. The call for contributions for this mission will be sent at the beginning of June, with a short deadline to respond to interested parties. The objective being that the recruitment interviews can be finalized at the end of June. As for the head of mission, he will be recruited before the end of June with the aim of having his appointment approved by mid-July at the latest. The deployment of the mission is hoped for, at the latest, at the end of July.

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Planning for the mission in South Sudan (EUAVSEC) continues

The planning of the mission in South Sudan continues despite the difficult situation that pre-exists in the country and the conflict that opposes it to its brother country, Sudan. It's a " small mission to secure the international airport ". And there is no reason for the moment to interrupt this planning “, we say to the SEAE (the European diplomatic service). The CONOPS of this mission called EUAVSEC was thus adopted at the last COPS (political and security committee) on May 2. The crisis management concept (CMC) was adopted on 23 January. On the other hand, for the actual launching of the mission, and the deployment of Europeans on the ground, a final evaluation will take place, both political and security. It is not a question of making Europeans take risks or of sending too positive a sign to a country - South Sudan - against which sanctions could be imposed at some point.

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The mission in Libya will wait a bit

The European Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya is currently carrying out a three-month long assessment mission. But it is above all the result of the elections as well as a formal request from the Libyans that will determine the future of a European mission in the country. The draft prepared by the European diplomatic service does not specifically mention a CFSP mission. It could be a lighter mission, of technical expertise, with for example reinforcement of the European Union delegation in Libya by seconded national experts, coming from the Member States, and who could come usefully to support their Libyan counterparts in the ministries or departments concerned with border security (land, sea, air). A priori, it is just as much immigration that interests Europeans as trafficking of all kinds.

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Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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