Brussels, 13/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - The idea of an EU military mission to the Central African Republic (CAR) not to fight but to contribute either to securing Bangui - including the airport near which several hundred thousand displaced people are camping out - and to channel humanitarian aid, or to securing the main road axis between the CAR and Cameroon, is gaining in strength. These are the two options on the table - the first garnering most support from the member states and the preference of France, but with the EU political and security committee (PSC) “everyone said that it will all depend on the situation on the ground”, said a diplomatic source on Monday 13 January.
The ambassadors from the EU member states, who met within the PSC in Brussels on Friday 10 January, gave their unanimous agreement in principle to the possible rapid deployment of a military force. “The member states agreed that the EU should contribute to the restoration of security and the efforts of its African partners in the CAR, in full coordination with the African Union and the United Nations. The PSC requested the EEAS to continue the preparations for a possible EU military operation in the CAR and to present a more detailed paper this week”, said the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Monday 13 January.
The decision will be taken by the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 20 January. The idea is that an EU military force be rapidly deployed in the CAR in order to contribute to re-establishing security there alongside the African-led MISCA force and the French SANGARIS operation (1,600 men). At the current time, only Poland and possibly Belgium are reportedly ready to send troops. “For a military mission to be decided upon, there needs to be an agreement at 28 and the number of volunteering countries should be sufficient to reach a critical mass of contributions. For the moment, there is no formal announcement of any contribution. The deployment could take place in a few weeks in the best of cases. It is more a question of political commitment than procedures”, said the same diplomatic source. Even if only symbolic, this European reinforcement that was called for by France's President François Hollande at the last European Council (see EUROPE 10989) will enable France's task to be eased, while waiting for MISCA to be transformed into a UN peace mission. The agreement in principle within the PSC coincided with the removal of Michel Djotodia, the president of the CAR transition, and his prime minister, Nicolas Tiangaye, who both resigned on 10 January under pressure from France and the countries of Central Africa. (AN/transl.fl)