European Union Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations Annual Report 2023

EUMM Georgia EUAM Iraq EUAM RCA EUAM Ukraine EUPOL COPPS EULEX Kosovo EUCAP Somalia EUCAP Sahel Niger EUCAP Sahel Mali EUBAM Rafah EUBAM Libya European External Action Service (EEAS) EU documents Reports, articles, briefs EUTM Mali EUTM RCA EUTM Somalia Public 2024 EUSDI Gulf of Guinea

This EEAS report gives a concise review of the activities and achievements of every civilian and military CSDP mission and operation around the world. It provides an itemised section on each mission and operation organised into geographic regions.

The report provides a comprehensive review of the EU's strategic efforts to bolster security and stability across multiple regions through CSDP. There were 23 missions and operations in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and Central and Southern Africa. Key initiatives include the first combined military-civil CSDP initiative in the Gulf of Guinea, supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, launching new civilian missions in Armenia and Moldova, and addressing hybrid threats such as cyber-attacks, and foreign information manipulation.

In the Eastern Neighbourhood, EUAM Ukraine supported the Overarching Strategic Plan for Law Enforcement Reform and improved Integrated Border Management to assist in bringing Ukraine's security authorities up to EU standards. EUMM Georgia continued to maintain a 24/7 visible monitoring presence near breakaway regions and to facilitate dialogue through its Hotline and Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism. For the new missions, EUPM Moldova supported resilience to hybrid threats through its work establishing StratCom Centre and National Cyber Security Agency, and EUM Armenia rapidly deployed to the border area with Azerbaijan to monitor the security situation.

In the Western Balkans, EULEX Kosovo continued its work monitoring judicial processes, and supporting the Kosovo Correctional Service, increasing monitoring of sensitive prisoner cases.

In the Middle East, EUPOL COPPS assisted the Palestinian Civil Police in developing a Palestinian Police Women's Network, and establishing a Central Crisis Cell in response to developments post-7 October. EUBAM Rafah continued assisting the PA in maintaining readiness to redeploy to the Rafah Border Crossing Point. EUAM Iraq worked to improve domestic counterparts' understanding of democratic security sector approaches and piloted a national database for cultural heritage protection.

Civilian CSDP missions continued to support the security sector in several regions of Africa. On the Mediterranean coast EUBAM Libya continued support to Libyan border authorities in fighting cross-border crime, and developed a Handbook for Maritime Operations.

In the Sahel, EUCAP Sahel Mali was able to continue its work improving relations between the local population and Internal Security Forces and finalised the National Border Management Strategy. Unfortunately, EUCAP Sahel Niger was shut down starting at the end of the year following the July 2023 military coup. EUSDI Gulf of Guinea commenced in December with a mandate to provide tailored support to identified training and advisory needs for both civilian and military institutions. It's first activities were the collection of a network of contacts with national authorities from Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Togo.

EUCAP Somalia supported security in the Horn of Africa by strengthening maritime domain awareness for the Somali government and enhancing police-prosecutor cooperation in the criminal justice system. EUAM RCA created a regulatory framework for reform of the Internal Security Forces in the Central African Republic.

The report provides a concise summary of the activities of each mission and operation, and is useful for policymakers at all levels for getting a basic understanding of each. Although one aspect not covered in detail is current problems and constructive criticism, which limit its capacity to provide a full state-of-play.

Reference: European External Action Service (2024). European Union Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations Annual Report 2023. Publications Office of the European Union.

Resource

PDF | 60 pages

Read the full report

The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia: Special Annual Report on Gender Mainstreaming (2016)

European Union Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations Annual Report 2023

Resource

Related

Welcome to the Knowledge Hub!