About EU Advisory Mission in the Central African Republic (EUAM RCA)
On this page, find out more about the mission of EUAM RCA which is to provide strategic advice to the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security of the Central African Republic, as well as to the Internal Security Forces, with a focus on developing coherent and accountable security service providers. This support is delivered under full national ownership, ensuring that the reform process is locally driven and sustainable.
The Mandate of the EUAM RCA Mission
At the invitation of the President of the Central African Republic, EUAM RCA was established by the EU Council in December 2019 and deployed to Bangui in July 2020. The Council extended the Mission's mandate in July 2022 until 9 August 2024, and again on 21 October 2024 for a further two years — now running through to 7 August 2026 (Council Decisions CFSP 2022/1333 and 2024/2723).
The Mission provides strategic advice to the Ministry of the Interior and to Internal Security Forces on structural reform and functional capacity-building. It promotes interoperability between security actors to facilitate their progressive deployment, all based on international best practices adapted to the local context. EUAM RCA contributes to national development, public safety, and sustainable peace through its support to the reform of the internal security sector.
Strategic objectives
The Council of the European Union has defined the following strategic objectives for EUAM RCA:
- Support governance and management capacities of the Ministry of the Interior;
- Support the sustainable transformation of the internal security forces;
- Assist in developing integrated support services for internal security forces.
Key activities
The activities of the EUAM RCA Mission are the following:
- Provide strategic advice to the Ministry of the Interior and Internal Security Forces on capacity building and organizational development;
- Strengthen interoperability among national security actors (Police, Gendarmerie, Customs, Prison Administration and Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries);
- Professional culture of internal security forces (training);
- Promote and mainstream Human Rights and Gender Equality in the mission activities.
Working approach
LOCAL OWNERSHIP
The President of the Central African Republic invited the European Union to deploy an advisory mission to the country to advise on security sector reform. Each year, the Mission presents its results to the President and the Government in the Steering Committee and aligns its activities with the Committee’s recommendations. The Technical Committee, which meets several times per year, follows up on the implementation of these recommendations. The main counterpart of EUAM RCA is the National Coordination of Security Sector Reform at the Presidential Office.
LOCAL PARTNERS
The Mission’s local partners include the Presidential Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Interior and Public Security, the National Police, the National Gendarmerie, the Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries, the Custom’s Office and the Prison Administration / the Ministry of Justice, and civil society organisations.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
The Mission’s main international partners include the UN Peacekeeping Mission MINUSCA with UNPOL, the EU Military Training Mission EUTM RCA, the EU Delegation, and the French Embassy.
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CopyrightEUAM RCA, 2025
Gail Van Hoever – Head of Mission, EUAM RCA
Gail Van Hoever, a Belgian national, is an accomplished leader with more than 25 years of international experience at the crossroads of humanitarian diplomacy, law enforcement, and national security. She has held senior positions with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Belgian Federal Police and Gendarmerie, the Belgian National Crisis Center, and within the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy framework.
Before her appointment as Head of Mission, Ms. Van Hoever served as Director of Operational Security and Crisis Support at Belgium’s National Crisis Center, where she coordinated the country’s response to major crises, including terrorist attacks and natural disasters, and oversaw the security architecture for high-level events such as EU and NATO summits and visits of Heads of State.
Her earlier career includes 14 years with the ICRC, leading humanitarian operations in fragile and conflict-affected contexts across Africa, the Balkans, and Asia, as well as senior posts in Geneva. She also served with the Belgian Federal Police in leadership roles in operations, road safety, and public order, and was seconded to the EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Recognized for her strategic vision, crisis leadership, and ability to build trust in multicultural environments, Ms. Van Hoever brings to EUAM RCA a wealth of expertise in strengthening institutions, advancing security sector reform, and promoting international cooperation.
The new HoM is appointed from 27 August 2025, as per the PSC decision, until 7 August 2026.
Flyers and Fact sheets
If you would like to know more about the Mission, please download our flyers and fact sheets:
Decisions regarding the EUAM RCA Mission
Please find here all the decisions regarding the mandate of the Mission: