Fact Sheet - EUCAP Somalia

European Union Capacity Building Mission
in Somalia

EUCAP Somalia

Updated: 18 May 2019

Mandate 1.1.2019-31.12.2020

EUCAP Somalia enhances the country’s maritime civilian law enforcement capacity by supporting federal and regional authorities in developing legislation, strengthening the criminal justice chain in the maritime domain and providing advice on policy to the Somali ministry of internal security and the Somali Police Force. The Mission supports the development of coast guard and maritime police functions in and around the main Somali ports, and implements additional assistance to broader police development.

The Mission (then EUCAP Nestor) was launched in July 2012 to sup-port countries in the Horn of Africa to develop maritime security. In December 2016, the Council of the European Union decided that the Mission will focus on Somalia, including Somaliland. In December 2018, EUCAP Somalia’s mandate was extended until the end of 2020 with a budget of 66,1 Million Euros.

EUCAP Somalia is based in Mogadishu with field offices in Hargeisa (Somaliland), Garowe (Puntland),
Mogadishu and a back-office in Nairobi, Kenya.

Three pillars of EUCAP Somalia

Support the maritime police units in and around the ports (Berbera, Bosasso, Mogadishu, Kismayo)
Contribution to the development of the Somali Coast Guard
Support to broader police development

Head of Mission
Maria-Cristina Stepanescu

Maria-Cristina Stepanescu (of Romania), was appointed as the Head of Mission in July 2016. Before joining the Mission, Ms Stepanescu worked extensively in crisis management operations and senior positions in the Romanian Ministry of Interior, the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, United Nations Mission in Kosovo and as a Seconded National Expert/Police Expert to the European External Action Service (EEAS) in the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), Operations Division.

“We help to establish a sustainable and effective Somali maritime civilian law enforcement capability, which will also contribute to the development of the Blue Economy”
Maria-Cristina Stepanescu, Head of Mission

EU’s integrated approach

EUCAP Somalia is part of the EU’s integrated approach to Somalia, which comprises of diplomatic efforts, development support, humanitarian aid as well as engagement in the field of law enforcement and rule of law. EUCAP Somalia works in close cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union to Somalia and two other opera-mission under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP): EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta and EUTM Somalia.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the European Union’s diplomatic service. It helps the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – carry out the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The EEAS’ Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), based in Brussels, is the permanent operational headquarters responsible for the operational conduct of EUCAP Somalia and all the other civilian CSDP missions.

* eucap-som.eu
* facebook.com/eucapsom/

* twitter.com/EUCAPSOM
* linkedin.com/company/eucap-somalia
* eeas.europa.eu/topics/common-security-and-
defence-policy-csdp_en