COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 5 May 2008
S154/08
Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the CFSP, to visit the Central African Republic and Chad
on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday, 7 May, 2008
Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), is visiting the Central African Republic and Chad on Tuesday, 6 May and Wednesday, 7 May 2008.
In the Central African Republic, on Tuesday, 6 May, Mr SOLANA is meeting President François BOZIZE in Bangui.
In Chad, on Tuesday, 6 May, the High Representative will meet President Idriss DEBY in N’Djamena. Their meeting will be followed by a working dinner.
On Wednesday, 7 May, Mr SOLANA will visit the headquarters of the EUFOR Tchad/RCA, where he will be briefed by the force commander, General Ganascia, on the ongoing deployment of the operation. The High Representative will then proceed to Abeche, where he will meet representatives of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and NGOs. Mr SOLANA will pursue his trip to Goz Beida, where he will have the opportunity to see the work being carried out on the field by the troops of EUFOR Tchad/RCA and visit refugee and displaced persons camps.
Mr SOLANA is visiting the Central African Republic and Chad to demonstrate the support of the EU in helping to face the difficult situation in the region linked to the spill-over effect of the Darfur crisis.
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European Union
Council Secretariat
~background~
May 2008
EU Military Operation in Eastern Chad and
North Eastern Central African Republic
EUFOR Tchad/RCA
Operation EUFOR Tchad/RCA reached its Initial Operational Capability on 15 March 2008. Deployment continues with a view to reaching Final Operational Capability.
The EU decided on 28 January 2008 to launch this bridging military operation in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) in accordance with the mandate set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007). This operation comes within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
In conducting this operation the EU is stepping up its longstanding action in support of efforts to tackle the crisis in Darfur as part of a regional approach to that crisis.
The operation is conducted with the agreement of the Chadian and Central African governments.
In its resolution 1778 of 25 September 2007, the UN Security Council approved the establishment of a UN Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (MINURCAT) and authorised the EU to deploy forces in these countries for a period of 12 months from the declaration of Initial Operational Capability.
EUFOR Tchad/RCA is a bridging operation which closely coordinates with the multi-dimensional United Nations presence in the East of Chad and in the NorthEast of the CAR in order to improve security in those regions. More specifically, the EU operation has the following objectives:
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to contribute to protecting civilians in danger, particularly refugees and displaced persons;
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to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel by helping to improve security in the area of operations;
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to contribute to protecting UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment and to ensuring the security and freedom of movement of its staff and UN and associated personnel.
EUFOR Tchad/RCA is a demanding operation in particular with respect to the situation on the ground, the vast area to be covered and the logistical constraints.
When completely deployed, the EU operation will include around 3,700 troops. At the end of April, some 2,380 troops were deployed in theatre. It is the most multinational military operation conducted in Africa by the EU so far, with 14 EU Member States present in the field, 18 in theatre, and 22 at the Operations Headquarters (OHQ), which is located at Mont Valérien (France).
The EU Operation Commander is Lt General Patrick NASH (Ireland). The EU Force Commander is Brigadier General Jean-Philippe GANASCIA (France).
The deployment includes a rear Force Headquarters (FHQ) at N’Djamena, an FHQ at Abeche and three batallions stationed respectively in the eastern Chad areas of Iriba (North), Forchana (Centre) and Goz Beida (South), as well as a detachment in Birao (Central African Republic).
EUFOR has begun to conduct activities such as long and short-range patrolling in its area of operations to monitor the security situation throughout the theatre and contribute to the local population’s sense of security.
EUFOR Tchad/RCA has an appropriate mandate allowing the use of armed force if necessary. It is independent, impartial and neutral.
The common costs budget for the EU military operation stands at EUR 119,6 million.
The establishment of EUFOR Tchad/RCA forms part of a comprehensive package of enhanced EU commitment to a solution to the crisis in Darfur. All EU instruments – diplomatic, political and financial – will be mobilised in support of this effort. The main components, all interlinked, will comprise:
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increased support for African Union (AU) and UN efforts to revitalise the political process with a view to finding a lasting solution;
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speeding up establishment of UNAMID in Darfur;
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increased mobilisation to finance humanitarian aid, but also to secure humanitarian access.
In this regard, the European Commission intends to implement transitional programmes of recovery and rehabilitation, covering reconciliationoriented activities, support for the voluntary return of displaced persons and rehabilitation in their places of origin, and support for local governance. In Chad, the EU, through the European Commission, will contribute substantially to the UN programme for the establishment of the UN police force, which will train and equip Chadian police officers as well as deploy them in the refugee and IDP camps in eastern Chad. In north-eastern CAR, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities will be undertaken.
These measures will be continued within the strategic framework of the 10th EDF (European Development Fund), which will allocate EUR 299 million to Chad and EUR 137 million to CAR over a five-year period.
