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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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Head of Mission: José Manuel Marques Dias
Colonel José Manuel Marques Dias, appointed Head of Mission in August 2022, brings over 30 years of experience in crisis management and security sector reform. A senior officer of Portugal’s National Republican Guard (GNR), he has held key leadership positions throughout his extensive career.
From 2017 to 2020, he served as Deputy Coordinator for the GARSI Sahel (Rapid Action Groups – Surveillance and Intervention) initiative in Niger, playing a crucial role in regional security efforts. During the same period, he also acted as Security Adviser to the Minister of the Interior of Timor-Leste, contributing to the strengthening of internal security frameworks.
In March 2020, Colonel Marques Dias joined EUAM RCA as Senior Strategic Adviser for Interoperability with the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). In this role, he gained deep insight into the security dynamics of the Central African Republic and developed strong relationships with both national and international stakeholders.
Colonel Marques Dias holds university degrees in Law, Security, and Military Sciences, reflecting his commitment to professional excellence. He is fluent in French, English, and Spanish, enabling effective communication in diverse international contexts.
Under his leadership, EUAM RCA continues to support Central African authorities in reforming the internal security sector, with the goals of enhancing public safety, promoting national development, and contributing to lasting peace.
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: