Brussels, 04/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The reintegration of Somali soldiers trained by the EU in the context of the EU Training Mission in Uganda (EUTM) is going well and is a “good fundament” for possibly deciding on whether the mission is to be continued, the chairman of the EU Military Committee (EUMC), General Hakan Syren, told the press on Tuesday 3 May after the meetings of Chiefs of Defence (CHODS) of EU member states. The general said that “most likely this decision (on the mission's future) will be made during the summer”.
Commanded by Spanish Colonel Ricardo Gonzalez Elul, the EUTM was launched in April this year with a view to administering training, in two successive training cycles, to up to 2,000 Somali soldiers to make them able to protect the official authorities in Somalia (see EUROPE 10174). The first 800 Somalis returned to Somalia last December. Addressing the Military Committee on Tuesday, Colonel Elul presented the first assessment of how the soldiers' process of reintegration is progressing after six months of training. The report “gave quite a positive picture”, General Hakan Syren told the press. According to information available to us, mechanisms developed for putting a Somali army in place (payment chain, monitoring mechanism, system of identification, etc) have run smoothly. Despite the fact that some recruits left the ranks, none of the newly trained Somalis went back to the anti-government Islamic militia (El Shabab) after their return from training. Furthermore, depending on the results obtained, the mission could be extended to ensure training for a third batch of one thousand or so soldiers (see EUROPE 10354).
EU chiefs of defence also examined two other military operations currently conducted by the EU. Regarding Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR Althea), General Richard Shireff called on member states to specify the state of play of their contribution planning. The number of EUFOR Althea troops (around 1,500 at present) is falling and the Military Committee is planning what will happen after November, General Syren said. The Military Committee has also been briefed by the operations commander, General Buster Howes, on planned reconfiguration of the operations plan (OP) for the EU-led counter-piracy mission (Operation EU NAVFOR Atalanta) off the coast of Somalia. Subject to receiving endorsement at political level, the OP for the Atalanta mission could be revised so that, in addition to the protection of World Food Programme (WFP) convoys, it would be authorised to conduct “more robust” action to protect merchant shipping (the targeting of pirate mother vessels, hostage rescue operations as well as operations for the preventive destruction of pirate's means).
The chiefs of defence were also informed by Rear Admiral Claudio Gaudiosi of progress made in EUFOR Libya - a possible humanitarian assistance mission that the EU could trigger off Libya at the behest of the United Nations (OCHA) (see EUROPE 10350). The rear admiral is “next week” expected to present the OP for this operation to the Military Committee. On this basis, the Committee could begin consultation with member states with a view to determining which of them would be willing to take part in the force, General Syren told the press.
On the subject of capabilities, the exchange of views between the CHODS allowed over 300 projects to be identified regarding the pooling and sharing of military assets, with 14-15 countries particularly keen on cooperation. General Syren said he intends to launch a more detailed analysis of the possibilities of cooperation in September or October this year. Cooperation as regards equipment (armoured vehicles, command and control systems, light weapons, etc), maintenance, training (e.g. for pilots) and education (mainly language learning) are areas of “great cooperation potential” identified at this stage, General Syren said. (A.By./transl.jl)