EUFOR TCHAD/RCA

This latest EU military peacekeeping operation is currently being established as part of wider international attempts to end the four-year conflict in western Darfur region, which has seen about 200,000 people killed and the displacement of 2.15 million people. More than 400,000 Sudanese have fled to refugee camps in neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).

On 25 September 2007, the UN Security Council authorised through Resolution 1778 the establishment of a 300-strong police mission (includes 50 military observers), the UN Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (Mission des Nations Unies en République Centrafricaine et au Tchad -- MINURCAT), as part of a larger planned joint 26,000-strong UN and African Union (AU) peacekeeping force due to deploy in Sudan, replacing the existing 7,000-strong AMIS. MINURCAT will deploy in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR where it will assist Chadian police officers based in about 16 refugee camps. Resolution 1778 additionally authorised the deployment of the EU Force Eastern Chad and North Eastern CAR (EUFOR Tchad/République Centrafricaine -- EUFOR TCHAD/RCA) that will be tasked with providing security in the region allowing for the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as the protection of MINURCAT personnel. About 200,000 Chadians are living in the camps, and EUFOR TCHAD/RCA will tasked with improving security so that these internally displaced people (IDP) will be able to return to their villages.

EUFOR TCHAD/RCA will be an interim military force composed of about 3,700 troops from 14 EU nations that will deploy in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR initially for a period of 12 months when a declaration of the force's initial operational capability (IOC) is declared. The IOC was due in December 2007, but the force's deployment had been delayed due to a shortfall in helicopters and medical and other support. A rebel attack against the Chadian government in N’Djamena during February 2008 further delayed deployment, but the mission is now underway with its personnel initially tasked with establishing the facilities required for the EU and UN missions. The full EUFOR TCHAD/RCA mission will not be fully deployed until mid-2008. By that time, it will led by France, who will provide about 2,100 personnel, making up the main bulk of three regional battalions deployed in the region. French air assets deployed include helicopters and C-160 transport aircraft. Six Armée de L’Air Mirage F1CR fighter aircraft have been despatched to N’Djamena airport in Chad and these have recently undertaken reconnaissance missions along the Chad-Sudan border, temporarily operating from Libreville in Gabon after N’Djamena airport came under attack from Chadian rebels. Other military contributions will come from Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. A 600-strong reserve battalion will be available from within the EU to deploy in the theatre if required.

The mission will be controlled by the EU Operational Headquarters (EU OHQ) at Fort Mont Valérien in Paris, France with Ireland's Lieutenant-General Patrick Nash the overall operational commander (appointed 15 October 2007). The EU OHQ will be composed of 130 personnel from 22 EU states. France's Brigadier-General Jean-Philippe Ganascia has been appointed the force commander to command EUFOR TCHAD/RCA in the theatre with a force headquarters (FHQ) being established at Abéché in Chad and a logistics base at N’Djamena. Poland's Major-General Boguslaw Pacek has been appointed the deputy commander.

EUFOR TCHAD/RCA will be mandated to use force if necessary to achieve its objectives. While eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR are relatively more stable than Darfur, the large number of refugees and displaced people threatens the region's stability. Many of the camps are located in a 600km area on Chad's border with Sudan, making them vulnerable to attacks from Sudanese rebels. There is also the prospect of inter-tribal violence within the refugee camps as already witnessed in some camps established in southern Darfur. The border region has recently additionally seen clashes between Chadian government forces and Chadian rebel groups operating from inside Sudan. EUFOR TCHAD/RCA will not deploy in Darfur with the Sudanese government refusing to accept non-African peacekeeping forces in its country.

Web link: Official EUFOR TCHAD/RCA website

Last revision: March 2008