An Cosantóir

| 17 An AMISOM convoy using Mamba MRAP vehicles on patrol in Mogadishu. Sgt Conor Conlon MATE J6 (DFHQ CIS Coy) receives his CSDP service medal from Somali Minister for Defence Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi. and its withdrawal does not guarantee immediate stability in the areas concerned, where the asymmetric threat remains high. In recent months Al Shabaab has shown a limited capability to conduct 'spectacular' attacks as demonstrated on 14 April by an attack on the Supreme Court in Mogadishu. As EUTM Somalia's second mandate drew to a close at the end of 2012 it became apparent that the provision of support from afar had to evolve in order to meet the broad requirements of the new sovereign Somali government. If EUTM Somalia was to remain relevant to the development of the SNAF, its engagement would have to radically change. Following a strategic review of the mission's activities, led by the Brussels based Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD), a new mandate was adopted by the member states on 22 January 2013. This mandate, which continues to be Irish-led, will extend until 2015. In essence the third mandate sees EUTM Somalia's engagement evolve from the 'quick fix' provision of soldiers required in the short term for security operations to a new, longer term engagement that will focus on the development of much needed Somali security sector institutions. Third Mandate activities will: contribute to the comprehensive and sustainable development of the Somali security institutions; contribute to Somali security sector development, supporting the build-up of a Somali-owned military training system; and support Somali capacity-building by contributing to the conduct of specialist training activities To deliver these activities, EUTM Somalia will deploy advisors and mentors to the minister of defence and his ministry; the SNAF chief of defence; and across the general staff. In due course trainer/ mentor teams will be deployed to mentor the Bihangatrained Somali EUTM Somalia Mission Commander Brig Gen Gerald Aherne greets President Hassan Sheik Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia. trainers and to assist during the delivery of the SNAF annual training plan. It is also anticipated that specialist training will be delivered in Jazeera Training Camp, Mogadishu, before the end of the year. Specialist training activities will continue in Bihanga until the end of 2013 and it is expected that all EUTM Somalia activities will then migrate to Mogadishu in 2014. The Defence Forces continues to support training in Bihanga and currently an MP training team, led by Lt Tomás Caufield, is deployed, in conjunction with an Italian Carabinieri training team. EUTM Somalia will move all of its activities to Mogadishu on a phased and conditions-driven basis. The conditionsbased deployment to Mogadishu focuses on the provision of four priority conditions: force protection, medical, real life support and CIS connectivity. The provision of security and adequate force protection is the mission commander's primary consideration. This entails securing the MATE HQ, which is located within Mogadishu International Airport (MIA), and ensuring appropriate force protection measures are in place in all external locations where advisors, mentors and trainers will operate. Personnel are seen as most vulnerable while moving between locations outside MIA. To mitigate this risk, the mission will utilise MRAP vehicles for all external movement and will have an Italian QRF on immediate standby for extraction operations. A DF C-IED analyst and DF J2 personnel are essential elements of the provision of mission-essential force protection in Mogadishu. The second consideration for the mission commander is to ensure the provision of Role 1 and Role 2 medical support. Role 1 support is provided by EU candidate country Serbia and the Role 2 capability is provided by civilian contractor Medical Support Solutions. The Role 2 facility is capable of providing damage control surgery, intensive care for up to 18 hours, and laboratory services. Thereafter patients can be evacuated by air using AMREF Flying Doctors, based in Nairobi. Currently the mission is satisfied that it possesses the most capable medical facility in Somalia. Real life support proved an initial challenge, although it was reassuring to find that the Bihanga Training Camp service providers, African Skies Ltd, were building a camp within MIA. The new camp is known as the International Campus and MATE HQ are now one of a number of occupants of this facility. The provision of CIS was also a major challenge. However, due to the endeavours and ingenuity of Capt Frank Hickey (MHQ J6) and Sgt Conor Conlon (MATE HQ J6) these have been overcome. While much has been achieved in a relatively short period during the third mandate, many challenges remain. The professionalism and dedication of EUTM Somalia personnel will be tested in the coming months as the security situation, though improving, still poses a major challenge. However, working cohesively with other EU bodies and in a spirit of partnership with Somali authorities it is anticipated that all these difficulties will be overcome. www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

• Cover