Patrick Nash

EUFOR Tchad/RCA – Progress and On-going Success by Lt Gen Patrick Nash, Operational Commander EUFOR Tchad/RCA, N’Djanena

In keeping with the European Union’s tradition of helping people in need and, together with the wider international community, in responding to the impact of the crisis in Darfur, a decision was taken by the UN Security Council to seek the improvement of security for the people of Eastern Chad and North Eastern Central African Republic by the establishment of a multidimensional international presence which includes Operation EUFOR Tchad/RCA.

A highly complex military operation From the outset EUFOR Tchad/RCA was considered, and remains, a complex military operation in a challenging part of the world. The prospects of success were uncertain. Such were the requirements of the operation that during late 2007 a number of commentators indicated that “mission impossible” was a term best appropriate to describe EUFOR Tchad/RCA. These demands were and still are considerable. The Chad/CAR/Sudan region is volatile, unpredictable and extremely hard to assess primarily arising from a complicated longlasting crisis in the Darfur region. To-date, EUFOR has faced no small amount of difficulties achieving ambitious objectives. There is no doubt there will be other difficulties in the future.

How to translate political will into military action As it’s operational commander it was, and is, my task to translate diplomatic and political policy into military action, this has involved: • Creating EUFOR’s visibility and presence on the ground

which required an unprecedented logistical deployment into a remote, vast and inhospitable area of operations in the

Lieutenant General Patrick Nash Operation Commander EUFOR CHAD/RCA Graduate of the Irish Defence Forces Command and Staff. Home Service Experience: Lieutenant General Pat Nash was commissioned into the Cavalry Corps in Sept 1966. On promotion to Colonel in June 2000 he was appointed Director of Defence Forces Administration. Brigadier General in Jan. In 2005 Patrick Nash took up the appointment as Deputy Chief Operations. Overseas Service Experience: Wide range in oversea with United Nations Forces, and EU Monitoring Mission in the Western Balkans. Cyprus in 1967. Company Commander (UNIFIL) in Lebanon in 1983 and Operations Officer UNIFIL in 1992. In 1996 Headquarters of the EU Monitoring Mission in the Western Balkans. In 1999 Battalion Commander in UNIFIL.

heart of Africa. At the operations launch nine months ago, I spoke of having to climb a “Logistical Everest”, well, it has been climbed. This involved 9 sea moves, 1,500 containers, 540 strategic flights, 150 vehicle convoys (distance of over 2,00 kms), 365 aviation transport flights. • The construction of infrastructure from “brown-field” sites to finished camps involved a huge programme of building. Overall EUFOR has to-date completed 6 camps including 4 with a capacity for 600 personnel and one with a capacity for 2,000 personnel. • The deployment of EUFOR Tchad/RCA as the largest, most multinational EU operation in Africa to-date, has had to overcome difficulties in order to become operational while still deploying. Despite delays caused by the rebel attack on the Chadian capital N’Djamena in late January/early February 08, EUFOR Tchad/RCA successfully reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on the 15 March 2008. • Getting a force and getting that force on the ground only has relevance if you get results from it. EUFOR’s performance of its key military tasks in achieving on-ground effects to provide a safe and secure environment in its area of operations has continued to improve as forces and assets arrived and as it built on our knowledge of the area of operations. EUFOR has established its legitimacy and efficiency in peoples’ minds by its work rate, particularly the every day patrolling and liaison work and by its responsiveness and capability. Any act of violence against the humanitarian community is an indication of the breakdown of the rule of

EUFOR: Promotion of a soldier in a camp in Chad.

law and order. Occasionaly it has been necessary for EUFOR to step in to give the local authorities confidence to reassert themselves as was the case in May during EUFOR’s operation “Forchana Response”. The rebel attack at Goz Beida in midJune evidenced a firm response from EUFOR in protecting internally displaced persons and evacuating NGO personnel to a safe location. This illustrated and confirmed EUFOR’s effectiveness and thus raison d’être. It has further displayed its Military Capability by the conduct of a number of combined joint operations – where periodically forces were consolidated saturating a particular area for a given timeframe to gain a specific effect. Moreover it’s apparent random pattern of night patrolling in remote areas is having a significant deterrent effect. EUFOR is out there, EUFOR is active. Bandits and criminals know this as they learnt to their cost in AM NABAK in mid-August when a EUFOR patrol encountered an unidentified armed group, and having received fire responded in kind. All this demonstrates the EU’s military response to major security issues in the region and illustrates EUFOR’s role as necessary and relevant. EUFOR has contributed to the stabilization of Eastern Chad and Northeastern Central African Republic, helping to calm tensions and encouraging a trend towards returns of internally displaced persons.

The mandate and the organization In accordance with it’s mandate, EUFOR continues to conduct its actions in an impartial way, an important condition for the success of it’s deployment. Through the ongoing development of it’s situational awareness and through the experience gathered on the ground, EUFOR has created a significant deterrence to the major groupings who were creating instability heretofore in it’s area of operations. The Operational Headquarters of EUFOR in Paris has begun to progress comprehensive military planning for post 15 March 2009. In last September, the UN passed a Resolution stating their intention to take over from EUFOR on the 15 March 2009. EUFOR is now planning for Force Recovery and the handover to a follow on force on the 15 March. It’s aim, together with the UN, is to achieve avoidance of any security gaps developing. In this regard, the newly adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1834 (2008) has authorised planning to proceed and has set out the relevant timelines providing for: the extension of MINURCAT1 until 15 March 09, the extending of a Multidimensional presence beyond 15 March 09 and the transfer of authority on 15 March 09. A clear picture from a military perspective on how to proceed is now apparent. Less than five months remain to the end of our mandate in mid-March and far from focusing SOLELY on the end date EUFOR will be concentrating hard on the pursuit of it’s military tasks between now and then. The situation on the ground demands it of us and EUFOR responds to that situation by the maintainance of its operational tempo; by patrolling; by liaisoning; by welcoming the MINURCAT deployment; by assisting where necessary MINURCAT in its police tasks to fight banditry and criminality; by anticipating and by being ready to react. We know we are facing into a difficult period. The coming months are crucial.

The Commanders conclusion EUFOR Tchad/RCA deployed despite the difficulties and continued despite the challenges. The task has been, and remains, considerable … but much work has been done, much progress has been made. It’s becoming evident that this work is yielding success. The operation has gained a much sought after momentum. This gain is not to be underestimated because it signifies that EUFOR has met, and is meeting, the expectation on the ground. Because of EUFOR’s presence, regular patrolling, and planned targetted operations • There now exists a greater “sense of security” • IDPs and refugees have expressed the view that they feel safer, more secure • The humanitarian associations know they can rely on EUFOR in a crisis This Military Bridging Operation has succeeded in gaining an initiative towards positive development. The UN follow-on Force/arrangement can maintain this progress. EUFOR’s solid foundation has prepared the way to build future successes contributing to the long-term beneficial impact of a safe and secure environment for those most vulnerable in Eastern Chad and North Eastern Central African Republic.