European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger

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European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger
AbbreviationEUCAP Sahel Niger
Formation2012
Headquarters Niamey, Niger
Head of Mission
Katja DOMINIK
Parent organization
 European Union
Website https://www.eucap-sahel.eu/

The European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger. (EUCAP Sahel Niger) is a civilian capacity-building mission in Niger, launched by the EU in 2012 under its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Since 5 June 2023, the German judge Katja DOMINIK has been Chief of Mission.

Contents

On 4 December 2023, the Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the EUCAP Sahel Niger mission would be terminated and that it had six months to leave the country. [1] The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, reacted by saying that the EU "regrets the junta's decision to terminate the agreement establishing the legal basis for the deployment of the EU mission EUCAP Sahel Niger and the military cooperation mission EUMPM" and would "draw the necessary operational consequences". [2]

Mandate

The mandate of EUCAP Sahel Niger was last extended by the EU until September 2024. [3] Currently, the Mission is composed of around 130 European experts. [4]

Since its inception in 2012, the Mission has been mandated to train and advise the Nigerien internal security forces, notably the Police Nationale, the Gendarmerie and the Garde Nationale, with a focus on combatting terrorism, organised crime and irregular migration. More specifically, support to the country's internal security forces include the following:

Concept of Mobile Forces

In the summer of 2022, the Steering Committee (COPIL) for EUCAP Sahel Niger decided to reorient the work of the mission. The focus is now on the mobile forces concept, which envisages doubling the current mobile units of police, gendarmerie and national guard to twelve units in the near future. This concept, in whose realisation EUCAP Sahel Niger plays an important coordinating role for the international partners, is an example of a holistic approach involving all actors on the ground.

History

In response to a request from the Nigerien government, the Mission was established by the Council of the EU in July 2012, [6] initially for a two-year period. The request was prompted by growing concerns over terrorism and organised crime in the region. [7] Colonel Francisco Espinosa Navas was appointed to lead EUCAP Sahel Niger for the first year. [8] The mission was last led by German police officer Antje PITTELKAU, who headed the mission from January 2021 to May 2023. Since June 2023, the German judge Katja DOMINIK has been Head of Mission.

The Mission's headquarters was set up in Niamey with two liaison offices in Bamako (Mali) and Nouakchott (Mauritania). [9] Whereas the liaison offices in the neighbouring countries were later closed, a field office was opened in the country's northern town of Agadez in 2016. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niger Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of Niger

The Niger Armed Forces includes military armed force service branches, paramilitary services branches and the National Police of Niger. The Army, Air Force and the National Gendarmerie are under the Ministry of Defense whereas the National Guard and the National Police fall under the command of the Ministry of Interior. With the exception of the National Police, all military and paramilitary forces are trained in military fashion. The President of Niger is the supreme commander of the entire armed forces. The National Assembly of Niger passed a statute for the Army of Niger in November 2020, planning for the army's size to increase from 25,000 personnel in 2020, to 50,000 in 2025 and finally 100,000 in 2030.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common Foreign and Security Policy</span> Organised, agreed foreign policy of the European Union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Gendarmerie Force</span> Rapid reaction force composed of various European police and gendarmerie forces

The European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) is a European rapid reaction force composed of elements of several European police and gendarmerie forces. EUROGENDFOR is tasked with performing policing tasks within the scope of crisis management operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common Security and Defence Policy</span> Defence policy of the European Union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Institute for Security Studies</span> Agency of the European Union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Military Staff</span> Directorate-general of the EUs External Action Service

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Security and Defence College</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Operations Centre</span> Military unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germany–Niger relations</span> Bilateral relations

Germany–Niger relations focus primarily on cooperation in development, security, and migration policy. Since 2016, bilateral relations have been significantly intensified, with several state visits at the highest level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Mission in Armenia</span> Unarmed civilian mission of the European Union in Armenia

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References

  1. ↑ "Niger revokes military accord with European Union - ministry". Reuters. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  2. ↑ "Niger : Déclaration du Haut représentant Josep Borrell sur les derniers développements concernant EUCAP Sahel et EUMPM | EEAS". www.eeas.europa.eu. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  3. ↑ "EUCAP Sahel Niger: mission prolongée jusqu'au 30 septembre 2024 avec un mandat adapté". www.consilium.europa.eu (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  4. ↑ "Le mandat de la mission EUCAP Sahel Niger prolongé jusqu'à 2022". anp.ne (in French). Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  5. ↑ "EUCAP Sahel Niger: Council appoints new head of mission". EEAS - European External Action Service - European Commission. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  6. ↑ "Political and Security Committee Decision EUCAP SAHEL Niger/1/2012 of 17 July 2012 on the appointment of the Head of Mission of the European Union CSDP Mission in Niger (EUCAP SAHEL Niger)". Euroalert.net. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "HISTORIQUE DE L'OPÉRATION EUCAP SAHEL NIGER" (in French). 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION EUCAP SAHEL NIGER/1/2012". Official Journal of the European Union. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Africa in Focus: Three New Civilian CSDP-Missions" (PDF). ZIF. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  10. ↑ "Factsheet: Common Security and Defense Policy - Civilian Mission EUCAP Sahel Niger (August 2018) - Niger". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
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