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Brigadier General Cornel Tonea-Bălan, new commander of EUTM RCA

16.10.2023
Central African Republic
EEAS Press Team
Two men greeting to each other

The European Union Training Mission in Central African Republic (EUTM CAR) was honored to host the Director of Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Lieutenant General Michiel van der Laan in the Change of Command Ceremony that took place on 7th October 2023 in Camp Moana, Bangui.

In the presence of the Minister of National Defense, and Restructuring of the Army Claude Rameaux BIREAU, the Director of MPCC transferred the command of EUTM CAR from Brigadier General Lino Gonçalves from Portugal to Brigadier General Cornel Tonea-Bălan from Romania.

During the Parade the Mission Force Commander was awarded by the Director of MPCC with the Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal for the commitment of serving under the European flag. The new MFCdr General Cornel Tonea-Bălan in his speech praised the work of his predecessor and expressed his engagement towards a durable partnership, and highlighted that EUTM RCA remains fully committed to its role in the Defence Sector Reform in CAR.

The EUTM CAR is a non-executive mission and it was was launched on the 16th of July 2016 at the request of the Central African Republic’s government for an initial period of two years. On September 2023, the Council of the European Union approved the extension of EUTM CAR's 3rd mandate up to September 2024. The Mission is currently composed of 9 TCN’s (Troop Contributing Nations), serving under the European  flag.

Achievements of EUTM CAR

  • Since its launch in June 2016, EUTM RCA trained and educated almost 9 500 FACA personnel;
  • Quick impact and qualifying courses have been delivered in different domains to more than 2 900 Officers, NCOs and specialists/enlisted personnel. These courses lasted from one week to several months, and focused on radio operations, leadership, tactics, IHL, human rights, sexual violence prevention, HIV/AIDS, leadership, gender, logistics intelligence, administration and combat first aid monitor;
  • Operational training was provided to six Battalions (five Infantry Territorial Battalions and one Amphibious Battalion – total of 3 100 personnel);
  • In addition, the Mission has also provided validation and certification of FACA personnel, four basic training (FETTA - Formation Elémentaire Toutes Armes et Tous Services) reiterations for more than 2 850 recruits. The Mission has also supported FACA in building an operational trainer’s pool to be able to train and educate its own troops;
  • EUTM RCA provided advice to the authorities of CAR on regulatory and doctrinal documents for the governance of FACA. This includes the Defence Sector Reform (DSR) strategy, the National Defence Plan (NDP), the Military Programming Law (2019–2023), the Military Justice Code, the Law on the General Statute of the Military and the decrees on the creation of FACA Military Schools.

The aim of the Mission is to implement changes within the defence field, in close collaboration with other international organisations such as the United Nations Mission in the country (MINUSCA), the European Union Delegation (EUDEL) and the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM), and in present is focused on two pillars: strategic advice and education. The change of command marks the continuity of providing strategic advice and education, by showing collaborative relationship and commitment by EUTM RCA.