Central Southern AfricaMissions Operations

Mobility, Effectiveness, Transition… the ten key messages from General Pontiès for the EUFOR RCA operation

(credit: European Union)
(credit: European Union)

(BRUSSELS2) As the military operation in the Central African Republic enters its final weeks of preparations, General Philippe Ponties, EUFOR RCA Commander, who recently traveled to Larissa, as to Bangui, specified the important points of the European operation. The head of mission was able to meet in Bangui, the transitional authorities, the commander of Operation Sangaris, the deputy head of Misca, the head of the police justice component, the head of the United Nations Office (Binuca) and humanitarian actors. This trip, made in the company of French General Thierry Lion, who will command the force, made it possible “ to examine the situation on the spot and refine the operation plan accordingly”. As for the Larissa headquarters, it is activated and functioning. " I went there. And I found infrastructures of excellent quality » explains General Pontiès who specified the ten key points of the new European military operation.

1. The mandate is limited in time. The mission will be for a maximum of six months — from the "declaration of full capacity"; + 3 months of ramp-up, i.e. until November. This mandate will not be renewed". NB: the decision to set up EUFOR RCA also provides for its self-abrogation as well as the dissolution of the General Staff.

2. The operation area will be “ restraint ". The mission will be deployed in Bangui and region. But will not cover the entire Central African capital. Its area of ​​operation will cover the airport area, the adjoining refugee camp, as well as " several districts adjacent to the airport ». But not the whole city.

3. Objective: a quick effect. The objective is, in fact, to have very quickly achieve visible effects (...) for local populations and transitional authorities”. When General Pontiès speaks of visibility, it is above all a question of efficiency that he intends to achieve. The idea is " not to dilute on a surface (corn) to concentrate, in depth, to have immediate effects but which are also lasting ».

4. The mission: to secure the population. " We must create a substantial return of displaced people, facilitate freedom of movement, allow people to feel safe, to resume social and economic activities. A good part of the mission will also be to liaise with the NGOs and international organizations present. The “deal” for us is “ to create the conditions for these actors to create these projects”.

5. Mobility is therefore a key criterion, the idea is " to have a permanent presence. Which is very demanding. » EUFOR RCA should have "ability to patrol effectively". This supposes “intelligence capabilities, logistics, force protection”.

6. Classic means. The means required of the Member States are more classic » : infantry, vehicles, signals, etc. " A confusing classicism speaks the general. On the air side, there will not automatically be helicopters (as envisaged for a moment). For medical evacuation, General Pontiès favors rather “road means than helicopters. Bangui is an extremely dense urban area. It is difficult to land helicopters on these densely populated areas. These vehicles will be "permanently dedicated to the European operation". If there is a problem, there will be repatriation on the Role 2 deployed at the airport “, ensured by the French of Sangaris, in a kind of pooling of resources. On the other hand, the idea of ​​having a drone has been planned. « It is indeed one of the means that we want to deploy, we have a very dense area, and it is important to have a situation of the city, constantly updated. But that will depend on the contribution of the Member States. »

7. Rules of engagement as wide as possible. My goal is that the force can benefit from the greatest possible freedom of maneuver on the ground ", with two limits: on the one hand, " the framework of the mission entrusted to the Europeans ", on the other hand, the " consideration of the international legal arsenal, conflict law, international humanitarian law etc. It is " a subtle balance, very difficult to achieve - recognizes the general.

9. The difficulty of force generation, is to be able to meet all the necessary needs, with all the possible offers. This means permanent adaptation. " We do fine tuning all the time. That is to say cut in the different capacities to each other, and define how high the contributions will be. » The important thing is that the force “be as European and multinational as possible”. The preparation has been accelerated. " We are in a very sustained tempo. I do not remember at European level such a rhythm. »

9. An operation borne by the Member States. The common costs (under the Athena mechanism) will be limited, they include infrastructure works for the Force HQ, the cost of deployment, logistics and the force in its daily life. " The principle of financing strategic transport by common costs has therefore not been provided for clarified the general, thus confirming B2's information. Most of the costs will therefore fall on the participating Member States. »

10. An exit strategy, from the start. " In six months, we leave. And this situation must not deteriorate afterwards. This is an important point. (...) The exit strategy will be of major concern to me as soon as deployment begins. » For the general, the essential thing is therefore to prepare from the start of the transition” with MISCA. It takes the " create in good conditions ", to assure " the same level of security, a smooth transition, so that the momentum can continue ».

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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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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