Security and Defence Policy Newsletter No.2

11 Jan 2012

Linda Barry

In this edition of the IIEA Security and Defence Policy Newsletter:

1.    Ireland assumes the Chairmanship of the OSCE for 2012
2.    EU Foreign Affairs Council takes stock of CSDP
3.    International conference on Afghanistan held in Germany
4.    EU expands its role in the Horn of Africa
5.    EEAS criticised by Member States, defended by High Representative
6.    Upcoming security and defence policy events at the IIEA

1.    Ireland assumes the Chairmanship of the OSCE for 2012

On 1 January 2012, Ireland assumed the one-year Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the world’s largest regional security organisation. It is the first time this country has chaired the 56 member state organisation, which covers a population of over 1 billion and includes all EU countries, Canada, Russia and the United States. Ireland holds the final Chairmanship in a troika which included Kazakhstan (2010) and Lithuania (2011) and will be succeeded by Ukraine in 2013.

The OSCE is a consensus-based organisation which promotes, across its diverse member states, a comprehensive concept of security encompassing three dimensions: political and military, economic and environmental, and human security. Ireland has identified the human security dimension as a priority for its Chairmanship, with the government reiterating its commitment to human rights and democratic freedoms. Internet freedom, particularly as it applies to new digital media, has been singled out as a specific priority for the coming year with a major international conference planned for Dublin. Under the economic and environmental dimension, Ireland’s core theme will be the promotion of security and stability through good governance.

The post of Chairperson-in-Office is held by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D. (above). He formally launched Ireland’s Chairmanship and presented the detailed plans and priorities to the OSCE Permanent Council, made up of member state ambassadors, in Vienna on 12 January 2012.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade taskforce has been assembled to manage Ireland’s Chairmanship. In addition, two Special Representatives have been appointed by the Tánaiste to deal with specific ‘frozen’ conflicts: Mr Pádraig Murphy (Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh) and Mr Erwan Fouéré (Transdniestria).

The Secretary General of the organisation, Lamberto Zannier, commended the efficiency of the Irish preparations when he spoke at the IIEA in November 2011. During 2012, the Northern Ireland peace process and the establishment of the Criminal Assets Bureau will be highlighted as case studies for other OSCE countries to review. A number of high-level conferences will be held in Ireland during 2012, culminating in the annual OSCE Ministerial Meeting which will take place in December 2012, when Foreign Ministers from the 56 participating states and 12 partner states will meet in Dublin.

2.    EU Foreign Affairs Council takes stock of CSDP

A biannual meeting of EU Defence and Foreign Ministers took place in Brussels on 30 November and 1 December 2011. Ministers Alan Shatter (above) and Lucinda Creighton represented the Irish Government.

The conclusions adopted on CSDP highlighted current budgetary constraints and recognised that “the challenge for Europe is to do better with less and to deliver on its responsibilities”. They called for optimum use to be made of existing structures, with national operational headquarters to continue to be used for EU-led operations.

The Council reiterated the need for a comprehensive approach to crisis management, integrating civil and military responses, and invited the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, to propose a review of the 2003 procedures for EU crisis management. 

Ministers committed themselves to maintain ongoing CSDP missions and operations. The future of the EUFOR ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina had been in doubt earlier in the year, but its extension until November 2012 was announced in October. Ministers also undertook to approve the crisis management concept for a civilian mission in the Horn of Africa (see below) and to consider early in 2012 the extension of the ongoing EUNAVFOR ATALANTA operation until the end of 2014. Ministers also agreed to consider offering further assistance to Libya, including support for security sector reform and border management. This will be looked at early in 2012 in consultation with the United Nations and the Libyan Government.

Regarding civil and military capabilities, the Council recognised both the existing gaps and growing needs in this area. Ministers invited Catherine Ashton to propose a multi-annual work programme for civilian capabilities. On the military side, the Council welcomed the new areas for pooling and sharing identified by the EU Chiefs of Defence. The Council will assess the progress made in April 2012.

The next Foreign Affairs Council with emphasis on defence issues will take place before the end of June 2012.

3.    EU expands its role in the Horn of Africa

Following the adoption of a strategic framework for the Horn of Africa on 14 November 2011, the EU has agreed a number of new measures to develop its role in the region.

On 12 December 2011, the EU Foreign Ministers approved the crisis management concept for a new CSDP mission focused on supporting regional maritime capacity building (RMCB) in the Horn of Africa and West Indian Ocean. This decision allows the operational planning phase to begin with a technical assessment of the region. On this basis, a decision to launch the mission will be taken, which may lead to the deployment of personnel in mid-2012 for an initial mandate of two years.

The mission has two dimensions: strengthening the sea-going maritime capacities in countries other than Somalia (Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Seychelles, Mauritius and Yemen) and, in Somalia, the training of a coastal police force and training and protection of judges. The RMCB mission is a civilian mission augmented with military expertise.

On 8 December 2012 a new post of EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa was established. A Greek diplomat, Alexander Rondos, was appointed and his mandate began on 1 January 2012. While the new Special Representative will cover eight countries in all, the Council has requested that he initially focus on Somalia and the regional dimensions of the conflict there, as well as on piracy, which is seen to be rooted in the instability of Somalia.

Two ongoing EU-led military operations continue to support security and stability in the Horn of Africa as part of the EU’s comprehensive approach. EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, the EU’s first naval mission, contributes to improved maritime security off the coast of Somalia and in particular protects World Food Programme vessels from pirate attacks. Its mandate has been extended until the end of 2012. An EU Training Mission (EUTM) is also ongoing, currently training a third intake of Somali security forces in Uganda under the command of Ireland’s Colonel Michael Beary (above). The third phase of the EUTM began on 21 November 2011 and will provide basic recruit training for 366 Somalis and command and control training for an additional 253 trainees.

Alongside these EU-led missions and operations, the EU supports the work of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). On 5 December 2011, the European Commission authorised the transfer of an additional €50 million to AMISOM. This will enable AMISOM to increase personnel on the ground from the current level of 9,800 towards the eventual target of 12,000 and support the fulfilment of its mandate to stabilise the security situation in Somalia. This latest contribution brings the total EU aid for AMISOM to €258 million since 2007.

On 26 January 2012, Somalia expert, Roger Middleton, will address the IIEA on the topic of Piracy from Somalia and the International Response.

4.    International conference on Afghanistan held in Germany

A major conference, chaired by Afghanistan and hosted by Germany in the city of Bonn on 5 December 2011, brought together Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers, and representatives of regional and international organisations to discuss the future of international engagement in Afghanistan.

The conference conclusions, entitled Afghanistan and the International Community: From Transition to the Transformation Decade, focused primarily on the ‘transition’ period to the end of 2014, when coalition troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan. The document states that “Consistent with Transition, we reaffirm that the role of international actors will evolve further from direct service delivery to support and capacity-building for Afghan institutions, enabling the Government of Afghanistan to exercise its sovereign authority in all its functions”. Elements of sustained international engagement during the ‘decade of transition’, which is due to follow from 2015-24, are also contained in the conclusions, and a strong statement is made that “the international support for sustainable Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) needs to continue after 2014”.

Amongst approximately 1,000 delegates, representing 85 national governments and 15 international organisations, was Irish Minister of State for Trade and Development, Jan O’Sullivan (now Minister of State for Housing and Planning). The European Union was represented by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, who announced the EU’s commitment to maintain funding at current levels (€1 billion per year) and to continue the civilian EUPOL mission which is engaged in training Afghan police forces, until at least the end of 2014.

In November 2011 the EU agreed a negotiating mandate for a Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development with Afghanistan. This will allow the establishment of a legally-binding and coherent framework for the EU’s relationship with the country for the first time. In his opening remarks to the conference, Afghan Foreign Minister, Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, placed the country’s relationship with the EU in the context of defining its long-term strategic relations with a range of international partners and allies, including the US, NATO, France and the UK. He also emphasised the need for Afghanistan to broaden and deepen its regional relationships. 

The EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, Vygaudas Ušackas, will deliver a keynote address to the IIEA on 27 February, reflecting on the outcome of the conference and assessing the political and security situation in Afghanistan.

5.    EEAS criticised by Member States, defended by High Representative

The first birthday of the EU’s External Action Service (EEAS) (formally launched on 1 December 2010) was marked by the publication of a December 8 memorandum, from 12 EU foreign ministers, critical of bureaucratic logjams within the Union’s new diplomatic service and offering “….suggestions on how the functioning of the service could be further improved." The three page letter went on to insist that planning for ministerial and official meetings be improved, that greater efforts be made to recruit staff into the EEAS from the Member States (rather than from EU institutions) and, strikingly, that defence and security attachés should be appointed to overseas EU delegations.

One month later, on 5 January, Catherine Ashton issued her own progress report, which acknowledged some weaknesses – especially in supporting the role of Heads of Delegations, but which also insisted that substantial progress was being made in strengthening the EEAS and calling for additional resources to supplement the service’s €464 million annual budget so as to address the “structural deficit” in its funding.

A formal institutional review of the EEAS is scheduled for 2013

6.    Upcoming security and defence policy events at the IIEA

A number of prominent guests will address the Institute on security and defence policy issues early in 2012.

•    Piracy expert and former Chatham House consultant researcher, Roger Middleton, will address the Institute on 26 January at 12:45pm on the topic of Piracy from Somalia and the International Response. He will consider the intensification of piracy off the coast of Somalia and elsewhere and analyse the legal, military and diplomatic responses needed from local and regional actors as well as the international community.

•    Vygaudas Ušackas, EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, will deliver a keynote address to the IIEA on the political and security situation in Afghanistan on 27 February 2012.

•    On 27 April 2012 the IIEA will welcome Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference and former German Ambassador to the UK and the USA. He will address members on Germany’s role in international security.

As an independent forum, the Institute does not express any opinions of its own. The views expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the author.