EUCAP Sahel Niger extended

BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, July 22, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Council today extended the mandate of EUCAP Sahel Niger, the EU CSDP mission in Niger, until 15 July 2016.

EUCAP Sahel Niger, embedded in the EU strategy for security and development in the Sahel, provides advice and training to support the Nigerien authorities in strengthening their capacities for combating terrorism and organised crime. The mission works to promote the interoperability of Nigerien security forces, to develop criminal investigation capacities, to facilitate coordination in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as well as to improve the sustainability of the security forces. So far, around 3000 members of the country's internal security forces, army and judiciary have been trained.

Around 50 international experts from 11 EU member states work in the mission, which is based in Niamey. Since May 2014, Filip de Ceuninck has been Head of Mission. EUCAP Sahel Niger will dispose of a budget of € 9.2 million for the period until July 2015.