European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2012/392/CFSP on the European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

It provides the legal basis for the European Union’s (EU) common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger) and sets out its objectives, tasks and command structure.
It aims to better enable the Nigerien security actors to fight terrorism and organised crime, including improving their capacity to control and fight irregular migration and reduce the level of associated crime.

KEY POINTS

G5 Sahel

In 2014, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger set up the G5 Sahel group of countries to foster close cooperation in the region and tackle the major challenges these countries face, including terrorism and transnational organised crime.

EU strategy

The mission was set up as part of the EU’s 2011 Sahel strategy aimed at bringing stabilisation to the region.
A new integrated strategy for the Sahel was adopted in 2021. It takes a more comprehensive approach focused on strengthening governance and addressing human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance issues in Sahel countries by ensuring greater transparency and accountability.
The EU is a member of the Sahel Alliance, launched and signed by the EU, Germany and France in July 2017:
- which aims to provide aid more quickly and more efficiently across the region;
- whose members include Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, the EU, the United Nations Development Programme, the African Development Bank and the World Bank.

Objectives

EUCAP Sahel Niger’s mission is to:

enable Nigerien authorities to develop the necessary strategic frameworks and further carry out existing strategies;
contribute to the development of an integrated, multidisciplinary, coherent, sustainable and human-rights-centred approach among the various Nigerien security actors in the fight against terrorism and organised crime;
assist the Nigerien central and local authorities and security forces in developing policies, techniques and procedures to effectively control and fight irregular migration.

Tasks

To achieve the mission’s objectives, EUCAP Sahel Niger must carry out certain tasks:

improve cooperation in the Nigerien security sector, and support strategic development and the operation of existing strategies in the field;
strengthen the Nigerien security forces’ capacity to fight terrorism and organised crime through advice, training and mentoring;
support the EU’s migration goals, and strengthen the Nigerien security forces’ capacities in border management and in the fight against irregular migration;
facilitate national, regional and international coordination in the fight against terrorism, organised crime and irregular migration, and in border management.

Command structure

EUCAP Sahel Niger has a unified chain of command as a crisis management operation.
A Civilian Operation Commander (COC) has command and control of EUCAP Sahel Niger at the strategic level under the political control and strategic direction of the Political and Security Committee and the overall authority of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The COC reports to the Council of the European Union through the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
A head of mission is responsible for, and exercises command and control of, EUCAP Sahel Niger in Niger and is directly responsible to the COC.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

The decision has applied since 16 July 2012. Its validity has been extended a number of times and it is currently scheduled to end on 30 September 2024.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

The European Union’s partnership with the G5 Sahel countries (European External Action Service).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision 2012/392/CFSP of 16 July 2012 on the European Union CSDP mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger) (OJ L 187, 17.7.2012, pp. 48–51).

Successive amendments to Decision 2012/392/CFSP have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.