18/09/2017 (Agence Europe) – The EU’s Political and Security Committee (PSC/COPS) has appointed Philippe Rio to head the EUCAP Sahel Mali mission, the Council of the EU announced in a press release on Monday 18 September. Rio, a high-ranking officer in the French police or gendarmerie, will officially take up his post on 1 October 2017, succeeding Albrecht Conze (Germany) who has been in position since May 2014. The EUCAP Sahel Mali mission provides training and strategic advice to the Malian police, gendarmerie and national guard and to the relevant ministries of the country in order to support reform of the security sector. The mission is headquartered in Bamako and its mandate runs until 14 January 2019 (see EUROPE 11701). (CG)