Back to the heart of Africa

Spanish military personnel have again been deployed to CAR only two months after their last contingent left the country. They are back under the umbrella of the European Union but as part of a very different mission.

During the seven-month EUFOR RCA (the EU mission to CAR, RCA in its French acronym), the members of the Spanish Special Operations Command were involved in several armed confrontations due to the situation of instability and lack of security in the country, consequence of the rivalry between the Seleka (radical Muslim militias) and the anti-Balaka (Christian and animist self-defence groups). Their efforts contributed to achieving a certain level of stability in the capital, Bangui, therefore this new mission will be advisory and is not expected to include combat.

The new EU mission 
is advisory in nature 

Arrival of the Spanish contingent to the former French textile factory UCATEX, headquarters of the new mission

The new Spanish contingent is made up of more than 20 soldiers; the last members arrived on 8 May from the Balearic Islands General Command (COMGEBAL). At its head is Colonel Juan J. Martín, who will be second in command of the EU Military Advisory Mission to CAR (EUMAM RCA). He knows the terrain well; he was Chief of Staff of EUFOR RCA. As well as Colonel Martín, the team of Spanish military advisors includes two other officers who were the first to arrive, back in April (?). They were therefore able to attend the Bangui Forum, a national conference to promote dialogue and reconciliation attended by delegates from all the prefectures in the country, the refugee camps and the exiled community.

The Spaniards will join advisors from the other participating countries (Austria, France, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden) to make up multinational teams. Their objective is to support the authorities of the country in the development of the next wave of reforms to the security sector with the aim of modernising it and making it more efficient.

In order to protect itself, 
the contingent includes 
an escort team

 
The team of advisors will be accompanied by three other teams: One will be entrusted with supporting the chief of the contingent at headquarters; another, with seeing to the needs of the contingent; and the third, with escorting and protecting it. The latter was set up by COMGEBAL with members of the 47th Light Infantry Regiment “Palma”.

Congressional authorisation
 

Participation in the new mission was agreed during the Cabinet meeting on 30 April after Defence minister Pedro Morenés obtained authorisation from the Defence Committee in Congress. This mission represents a continuation of EU efforts to stabilise CAR and train its Armed Forces.

Once the new mission reaches full operational capability, its duration will be one year.