The G5 Sahel countries - Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad - face increasing threats by terrorists and organized crime involving trafficking in arms, drugs and human beings. This has also an impact on the Mediterranean region and EU Member States. To help address the situation, the EU has joined forces with its G5 partners and launched a range of support measures. Amongst other things, the EU has helped to mobilise commitments of more than €400 million to help set up a Joint Force of the countries concerned and has deployed, under the EU flag, two civilian capacity building missions and one military training mission to Niger and Mali.

Mutual support and cooperation between the three EU Missions deployed in the Horn of Africa was discussed at the meeting between Kenneth Deane, Civilian Operations Commander and his military counterpart, Esa Pulkkinen, Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability on 24 May in Mogadishu.