Background

After an extended period of unrest, instability in Central African Republic (CAR) peaked in 2013, resulting in the near collapse of the Central African state. The ineffectiveness of state institutions and the return to an economy of subsistence due to internal conflict resulted in a very complex situation that required an urgent response of the international community.

On 20 January 2014, the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers Council ap­proved a Task Force led by the European Union in the Central African Republic. The European Union Force in the Central African Republic (EU­FOR - RCA) was established on the legal basis of United Nations Secu­rity Council Resolution 2 134 (2014). EUFOR RCA contributed to the achievement of a safe and secure environment in the Bangui area, as part of the international efforts to protect the populations most at risk, and to create the conditions for providing humanitarian aid.

On 16 January 2015, the Central African Republic transitional Head of State sent a letter inviting the European Union to deploy a consulting military mission. The European Union Military Advisory Mission (EUMAM) in Central African Republic was launched on 16 March 2015 to support the Central African Defence Sector Reform (DSR) process.

A year later, on 16 July 2016, the European Union Training Mission in Central African Republic (EUTM - RCA) was launched for a period of two years, after a Central African Government request. EUTM-RCA took over from the EUMAM-RCA mission. Its mandate runs until 19 September 2022. EUTM-RCA is based in the M’Poko-Moana camp in Bangui.

Mission & goals

EUTM-RCA contributes to reform the Central African Republic defence sector within the framework of a wider Security Sector Reform, in close coordination with other International Support Missions such as the EU Delegation in Bangui, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM). The mission support the Central African authorities and is engaged in three domains: strategic advice, operational training and education.

Since the beginning of its mandate, EUTM-RCA has trained about 6,000 militaries from the Central African Armed Forces, providing several career courses, quick impact courses and specialised education. The mission accompanies the political and military authorities by providing strategic advice, both in the area of deployment planning and in the drafting of important documents (National Defence Plan, Military Planning Law, Recruitment Plan, Internal Security Forces Planning Law, Law on the Status of the Internal Security Forces, etc.).

Composition

EUTM-RCA is currently composed of 248 militaries and civilian personnel from 12 different nations, including 8 EU countries (France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden) and 4 partners (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Georgia, Serbia).

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