Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The EU training mission, or EUTM as it is known, in Somalia - there is an abbreviated version of every mission that people are engaged in - to train the security forces of the Somali Transitional Federal Government was launched on 7 April 2010 in implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 1872, 2009 and 1910, 2010. These resolutions urge the international community and organisations to provide technical assistance for the training of the Somali Security Forces.

The mandate of the mission is to train 2,000 selected Somali recruits in two intakes in the Bihanga camp, which is 300 km south west of Kampala in Uganda. Following Government approval, five members of the Defence Forces, two officers and three NCOs deployed to EUTM in Somalia in April 2010, for a period of 12 months to assist in the training of potential Somali non-commissioned officers, NCOs.

In June 2011, the Government approved continued participation in the mission for a further period of one year beyond August 2011, subject to an appropriate decision of the Council of the European Union authorising the extension of the mission. On 28 July 2011, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision extending the mission for a year.

The original mandate of the mission was to train 2,000 recruits in two intakes in Uganda. The second intake completed their training in July 2011. The mission has trained 1,776 personnel in total. The European External Action Service, EEAS, has recently completed its fourth mission assessment and noted that the reintegration and return to Mogadishu of the first intake of trained soldiers is complete and that planning is in train for the return to Mogadishu of the second intake of recruits.

Ireland's participation in Somalia is part of a larger effort to support, together with our EU partners, the creation of functioning, stable institutions there, without which there is little prospect of political progress in that troubled country. The devastating impact of the current famine in the country serves to underscore the need to make rapid progress toward achieving a representative and effective government. The adoption on 6 September of the roadmap for ending transition in Somalia represents a welcome step towards that goal.

Oversight of the mission is exercised in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on European Union.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The mission plan for the refocused mission has recently been finalised and was presented to the Political and Security Committee, PSC, on 13 September. Future training will focus on developing Somali command and control, specialised capabilities and Somali self-training expertise.

Colonel Michael Beary of the Defence Forces was appointed mission commander with effect from 9 August, succeeding Colonel Ricardo Gonzalez Elul of the Spanish armed forces. As mission commander, Colonel Beary is responsible for managing all aspects of the mission. He has a key role in interacting with Uganda as host nation, the United States, the United Nations and the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM. He is also responsible for briefing the PSC in Brussels and Defence and Foreign Ministers at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings.

Ireland continues to contribute three personnel to a joint training team with the Maltese armed forces which is providing training in Bihanga Camp. Colonel Beary and two other Irish personnel are based in mission headquarters in Kampala. One other Defence Forces officer is based in the mission headquarters support cell in Brussels.

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