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About the Military Training mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA)
On 14 March 2016, the Council approved the Crisis Management Concept on a possible EU Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA), to contribute to the country's defence sector reform. In a letter dated 30 March 2016, the President of the CAR, Faustin-Archange Touadéra invited the Union to deploy an EU CSDP military training mission in the CAR (EUTM RCA). Subsequently, on 19 April 2016 the Council formally decided to establish EUTM RCA with a view to launching it in July 2016.
In close coordination and complementarity with the MINUSCA, EUTM RCA will support the CAR Government in the implementation of the Security Sector Reform (SSR) by assisting the Forces Armées Centrafricaines (FACA). The goal is to support the build-up of a modernised, effective, ethnically balanced and democratically accountable FACA. The Mission shall concentrate its action in the Bangui and Bouar areas.
The new mission follows the EU Military Advisory Mission in the CAR (EUMAM RCA), the mandate of which came to its end on 17 July 2016.
Mandate
On 28 July 2022, the Council extended the mandate of the EUTM RCA by one year, until 20 September 2023. Working towards the goal of modernised, effective and democratically accountable Central African Armed Forces (FACA), EUTM RCA provides:
- strategic advice to the Central African Republic’s Ministry of Defence and to the FACA General Staff in support of the creation of capable security forces under democratic control that respect human rights, international humanitarian law and international standards regarding gender issues, the protection of civilians, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) agenda, as well as advice to training establishments for commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the FACA in order to create a capable leadership education system;
- education to the FACA in non-operational domains, including human rights, international humanitarian law, gender issues, the protection of civilians, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) agenda.
Activities
EUTM RCA has contributed to the restructuring of the Defense sector in three domains: strategic advice, operational training and education. Since July 2016 the EUTM RCA has trained and educated almost 9500 FACA personnel. EUTM RCA has engaged in the training of FACA units and their leaders, and new recruits [including ex-combatants reintegrated in FACA after completion of vetting and Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process].
The Operational training was provided to six Battalions (five Infantry Territorial Battalions and one Amphibious Battalion – total of 3100 personnel).
In addition, the mission has also provided: validation and certification of FACA personnel trained by a third party (300 personnel), four basic training (FETTA - Formation Elémentaire Toutes Armés) reiteration for more than 2850 recruits. The Mission has also supported FACA in building an operational trainer’s pool to be able to conduct by themselves training and education to own troops.
EUTM RCA has provided advice to the authorities of CAR on a significant amount of regulatory and doctrine documents for the governance of FACA. This includes the Defence Sector Reform (DSR) strategy, the National Defence Plan (NDP), the Military Programming Law (2019–23), the Military Justice Code, the Law on the General Statute of the Military, the decrees on the creation of FACA Military Schools.
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Brigadier General Lino Loureiro Gonçalves
Mission force Commander EUTM RCA
CV of the Mission force Commander Brigadier General, Lino Loureiro Gonçalves
Brigadier General Lino Gonçalves was born in Luanda-Angola, on September 23, 1965, and was promoted to the current rank on June 27, 2022.
Graduated from Military Academy´s Infantry Course (1984-1989), he holds a master’s degree in Military Sciences, having attended the General Staff Course, and, among others, the Flag Officers Course.
During his career he has held several positions such as: Mechanized Infantry Commanding Officer; Head of the Intel Branch (G2) and Logistics Branch (G4) of the Mechanized Brigade General Staff; Deputy Commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion; Head teacher of the logistics course at the Military Academy; Cadets Battalion Commander; Mechanized Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer; Commanding officer of the Task Force Battalion, as the Portuguese land contribution to the NATO Response Forces 12; Head of the Strategic Planning Branch and Multilateral Operations and Relations Branch of the Army General Staff.
Most recently, as Colonel, he commanded the Army Sergeants School (July 2016 to June 2018) and served as Chief of the Cabinet of the Lieutenant General Army's Deputy Chief of the General Staff (September 2020 to August 2022).
His international experience covers the following assignments: Operations Officer (S3) of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion within the NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1997); Commanding Officer of 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion within the NATO Kosovo Force (2009/2010); Action Officer of the European Union Military Staff, in Brussels, at the Concepts Branch/Concepts and Capabilities Directorate (August 2011 to July 2014); J2 (Intel) Branch Chief of the European Union Military Advisory Mission in the Central African Republic, EUMAM RCA, (October 2015 to April 2016); Education Pillar Chief of the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic, EUTM RCA, (June 2018 to January 2019).
Brigadier General Lino Gonçalves has received various national and foreign decorations, including the ones granted by the Central African Republic.
He is married; he has two adult daughters and a grandson.