EU Chiefs of Defence Discuss Currently Conducted Operations

Gen. Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the new commander of EUFOR ALTHEA gave an update about the participation in flood control efforts against the severe flooding currently hitting the region. In his opinion, the present situation shows well what kinds of efforts are needed to maintain a safe and secure environment. Referring to the riots that broke out over economic reasons in February, he said it was still conceivable that ethnical tensions would renew during the run-up to the elections or possibly after the voting. For this reason, the general held it necessary to carry on with the operation and to provide all capabilities and reinforcement which make it possible to create precise situational awareness and to make predictions.

In his contribution, Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő pointed out that besides the February developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the crisis in Ukraine shows well how fragile the security situation is. Therefore, he reasserted that Hungary has committed itself to Operation ALTHEA.

At the meeting, it was stated that the EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM Mali) conducted in the Sahel region is a successful mission of the European Union. This mission now has a mandate extended by 24 months until May 2016, and has been assigned additional activities. It will establish flexible mobile training teams which better suit the needs of the Malian armed forces. The objectives of the mission are to take the results further and to continue with the armed forces reform. The presence of the mission has already facilitated real progress in the fields of security and public administration in the southern part of the country. Brig. Gen. Marc Rudkiewicz (France), the new commander of the mission leads a contingent which is currently composed of 550 troops from 28 nations (including 23 EU member states).

In this mission, under the renewed mandate, the Hungarian Defence Forces are cooperating with the Portuguese armed forces in providing sniper training, which so far they have done in six-month rotations.

Speaking about the EU-led operations and missions conducted in the Horn of Africa, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, the commander of maritime Operation ATALANTA said that based on the results of a strategic review, the mandate of the operation had been extended until December 2016. The rear admiral and the commander of the EU Training Mission Somalia (EUTM Somalia) both stated that the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) operation – conducted in coordination with other international organizations – had successfully contained piracy along shipping routes, but the roots of the problem are to be dealt with on land.

The main task of the operation has been complemented with providing support to the EU-led military and civil missions conducted in the region (EUTM Somalia, EUCAP Nestor). At the end of 2013, the EUTM Somalia mission relocated to Mogadishu where it commenced special training and advisory activities. To protect the forces and to make sure that the training and advisory activities can be running in parallel, Brig. Gen. Massimo Mingiardi, the commander of the mission requested financial support to generate Force Protection capability. Acting on this request, the Special Committee of EU ATHENA decided to finance the costs of hiring the required armored personnel carriers and jamming equipment.

Maj. Gen. Philippe Pointes (France), the commander of Operation EUFOR RCA in the Central African Republic advised the chiefs of defence of the launch of the operation. The mandate of this mission runs for six months from the date of reaching full operational capability (FOC), and when it expires at the end of 2014, the tasks will be handed over to a UN-led mission.

During the second part of the meeting, the chiefs of defence discussed plans drawn up for the implementation of priority actions identified during a thematic debate on defence and set out in the European Council conclusions of December 2013. After receiving updates from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Defence Agency (EDA), they discussed the EU Maritime Security Strategy and the EU Military Rapid Response Concept, elements which are overseen by the military profession and to be developed further.

During the break of the meeting, the chiefs of defence of the Visegrád Four (V4) countries met with each other and signed a letter to the chairman of the NATO Military Committee. In this, they inform him about their decision – announced earlier by the Hungarian Minister of Defence at the NATO and EU defence ministerial meetings – to combine the culmination exercise of the EU Battle Group with the NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 2015. This intention may be a good example of EU–NATO cooperation, the strengthening of partnership relations between the two organizations and the effective use of defence resources.

Photo: Defence Staff