Latest news from EU peacekeeping missions and operations – CSDP (February 2021)

March 7, 2021 Emmanuelle Stroesser

(B2) Training and training in all its forms, theoretical, face-to-face, remote, even hand-to-hand and even amphibious... EU missions and operations have resources!

Central African Republic. On land and in water, amphibious training!

Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (Visit, boarding, search and seizure) is the explicit title of the VBSS training (the second) organized by the Central African army training mission (EUTM RCA), with the amphibious battalion. This lasts three weeks. Theoretical instructions and hand-to-hand combat exercises preceded a more practical training period with the boats for these soldiers intended, among other things, to control the river border or escort sensitive cargoes during their navigation. Details here

Somalia. Learn to spot improvised explosive devices (IEDs)

The fight against IED is part of the fundamental courses. A training course followed in February by the brigade of October 14 of the SNAF (Somali National Armed Forces), carried out by the teams of the Somali army training mission (EUTM Somalia), in partnership with the SNAF (Somali National Armed Forces) and SPF (Somali Police Force). Details here

Pristina (Kosovo). Also initiate life-saving gestures

In Pristina, neither weapons nor hand-to-hand combat. The respirator and elbow grease (for heart massage) are the tools of the medical team of the mission on the rule of law (EULEX Kosovo) when they carry out their training – online – on health care base (BLS), as again in early February, to a group of 47 health care workers. Details here

Garowe (Somalia). Training to fight against corruption

How to collect evidence in corruption-related crimes? Or how to investigate money laundering? What about corruption and bribery in Islamic law and the penal code? These are some of the questions and techniques shared by the EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) with officers from the Puntland State Police (CID), Puntland Attorney General's Office and of the human rights defender. Details here

Kyiv (Ukraine). Support in the implementation of border management reform

The creation of an Integrated Border Management (IBM) system is an objective of Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU. This requires stronger cooperation between agencies, in particular the National Migration Service and the Customs Service. They were taking part, for the first time, in a meeting co-chaired by the Advisory Mission for Internal Security (EUAM Ukraine) and the National Border Guard Service of Ukraine (State Border Guard Service of Ukraine - SBGS), at the end of February. Details here

Birni N'Konni (Niger). Logistics reinforcement for border control

In Niger, the internal and border security capacity support mission (EUCAP Sahel Niger) delivered several items of equipment to the Mobile Border Control Company of Birni N'Konni. In particular to ensure and facilitate transmissions (radio sets and batteries, antennas, relays and base station). Details here

Delivery of equipment to the company in charge of borders — (credit: EUCAP Sahel Niger)

Gulf of Aden. Focus on the air assets of the operation

Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA), Helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). These are the air assets useful for the operation to combat maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia (EUNAVFOR Atalanta). Complementary, they offer unique operational capabilities that cannot be obtained by other means ". Details here

Bamako, Koulikoro, Gao, Sévaré (Mali). General inspection !

The visit of the Director General of the EU Military Staff, Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, at the end of February, is an opportunity for us to explore, from a distance but with supporting photos, the different places and activities of the training mission of the Malian army (EUTM Mali), from its HQ in Bamako to the Koulikoro training camp, via the school for non-commissioned officers in Banankoro, Gao or the Sevare camp. Details here