Background

In 2008, following a sharp rise in the number of piracy and armed robbery attacks on vessels at sea in the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean region, the UN encouraged States to increase and coordinate their efforts, in cooperation with the Government of Somalia, to deter such attacks and protect delivery of humanitarian aid as well as international navigation.

The European Union therefore launched EU NAVFOR Operation ATALANTA, a naval operation in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea in 2008, to protect humanitarian aid vessels and other vulnerable shipping, and the European Union Military Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia) was launched in 2010 to support the Somali army.

In July 2012, the European Union (EU) launched EUCAP Nestor, a civilian mission, which could complement the existing EU missions and assist a number of host countries to develop their maritime civilian security services. All three missions were part of the EU’s commitment to crisis response, international security, and peacebuilding, under its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

At its launch, EUCAP Nestor worked across the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean. At the end of 2016 however, following a strategic review, the mission re-focused its activities solely on Somalia (including Somaliland) and was renamed the European Union Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP) in Somalia, working in partnership with Somali authorities on maritime security, broader policing and rule of law.

The Mission Headquarters are currently located in Mogadishu, with field offices in Garowe (Puntland) and Hargeisa (Somaliland) and a sub-office in the port of Berbera.

Mission & goals

The EU works to support the establishment of a peaceful, stable, and democratic Somalia and is committed to sustainable development and to improving everyday life and security in the country. As an EU CSDP mission, at the invitation of the Somali government, EUCAP Somalia works to support Somali authorities in rebuilding Somalia’s maritime law-enforcement and broader police capability as it emerges from decades of conflict and fragility. This includes supporting rule of law, human rights, and promoting gender equality in all of our work.

In the maritime sector, EUCAP Somalia is committed to supporting Somalia not only in improving its maritime law-enforcement and coast guard functions, but in defining its maritime security policies and legislation, which together aims to help Somalis counter piracy, human trafficking, smuggling and illegal fishing as well as many other maritime security issues.

EUCAP Somalia is also committed to supporting broader police development, by assisting Somali law enforcement agencies and authorities to increase their ability to provide safety and security to Somali people and communities. This includes increasing interaction and engagement between law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system and with INTERPOL. It also includes strengthening coordination between Somali security forces, as part of transition from military presence to civilian rule of law, in line with a plan agreed by the Somali government and international community in 2018.

Under the EU Integrated Approach, the Mission cooperates closely with the EU Delegation to Somalia, the EU Military Training Mission to Somalia (EUTM Somalia) and EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA. The Mission also works in complementarity with UN and other international actors in Somalia as well as with AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) to carry out its mandate.

Composition

The mission currently comprises 143 mission members from EU member states and 21 national mission members.

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