Brussels, 22/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - EUCAP Sahel Niger, the European Union's CSDP mission in Niger, has been extended by one year and will now run until 15 July 2016. This was decided by the Council of the EU on Tuesday 22 July, without debate, on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign affairs ministers.
EUCAP Sahel Niger advises the Nigerian authorities and organises training to strengthen their resources in fighting terrorism and organised crime. The mission aims to improve the interoperability of the Nigerian security forces, to develop the country's capacity to carry out criminal investigations, to facilitate regional coordination in the fight against terrorism and organised crime and to allow the security forces to do their job over the long term. So far, some 3,000 members of the domestic security forces, armed forces and magistrates have been trained.
The headquarters at this mission are located in Niamey. Consisting of some fifty international experts from eleven member states of the EU, it has been led by Filip de Ceuninck since May 2014. It has a budget of €9.2 million for the period to run until July 2015. (AN)