On Monday 16 October, the EU Council launched a new civil mission in Iraq as part of the common security and defence policy (CSDP).
This mission is expected to be deployed in Baghdad in the autumn and will be tasked with helping the Iraqi authorities in the implementation of civil aspects of Iraq’s national security strategy. The aim of this strategy is to create institutions that can strengthen security and peace, and to prevent conflicts, while respecting standards on the rule of law and human rights. A press release from the Council states that the strategy also highlights a number of urgent threats to national security (including terrorism, corruption, political instability and sectarian and ethnic polarisation) which the CSDP mission will help to address.
German national Markus Ritter will lead the mission. It will comprise 36 experts, who will provide advice and assistance in the priority action areas to respond to the needs of the competent authorities. The Council states that the mission will have a budget of €14 million for one year and will work in close cooperation with the EU delegation in Iraq and international partners on the ground (such as the United Nations development programme, NATO and the international coalition against so-called Islamic State).
The EU’s CSDP mission is being set up following a request from the Iraqi authorities for support to reform the civil security sector. The EU ministers gave their agreement to launch the crisis management concept for this on 17 July 2017 (see EUROPE 11831). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)