Admin l Monday, September 18, 2017
BAMAKO, Mali – The European Union Political and Security Committee has appointed Philippe Rio, a senior member of the French gendarmerie, to head the EUCAP Sahel Mali mission.
He will take up his duties on 1 October 2017. Philippe Rio succeeds Albrecht Conze (German), who had held this position since May 2014.
The EUCAP Sahel Mali mission assists the Malian State to ensure constitutional and democratic order, to create the conditions for lasting peace and to maintain its authority throughout the country.
EUCAP Sahel Mali includes a team of advisors and trainers based in Bamako who work with internal security forces and at ministerial level to improve the human resources system, reorganize training policy and provide training to high-level executives potential (the “framework for the future”).
His mandate is currently running until 14 January 2018. The mission has its headquarters in Bamako, Mali.
EUCAP Sahel Mali is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to security and development in the Sahel region. Two other CSDP missions are deployed in the region: EUTM Mali, which assists in the reconstruction of efficient and accountable Malian armed forces, and EUCAP Sahel Niger, which supports the fight against organized crime and terrorism in Niger.
On 20 June 2017, the Council adopted a decision allowing the regionalization of PSCD missions in the Sahel region. To this end, a regional coordination unit has been established within EUCAP Sahel Mali, including experts on internal security and defense in the G5 Sahel countries, deployed in Mali but also within the delegations of the EU, Union with other countries of the G5 Sahel, in this case Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
