About EUCAP Somalia
In July 2012, the European Union (EU) launched EUCAP Nestor, a regional civilian maritime capacity building mission which aimed at supporting hosting countries in developing self-sustaining capacity to enhance maritime security sector. EUCAP Nestor was mandated to work across the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean, with a focus on counter-piracy.
At the end of 2016, following a strategic review, the Mission was rebranded as EUCAP Somalia, with activities focusing only on Somalia.
Download our fact sheet HERE.
Our 2023 - 2024 Mandate
The European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) is a civilian crisis management mission that supports the development of the Somali maritime security and police sectors, as well as promoting the rule of law.
The Mission was launched in July 2012 as EUCAP NESTOR to support 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 only on Somalia, including Somaliland, and subsequently it was renamed to EUCAP Somalia.
In December 2022, the Council of European Union extended the Mission’s mandate for another two years (2023-2024). The most prominent goals of the Mission are to help Somalia to generate robust, well trained police forces, contribute to secure one of the EU’s vital maritime trade routes, and assist to draft and implement sound legislative frameworks, including accountability systems. In the spirit of the EU integrated approach, it cooperates with the European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, the European Union Delegation to Somalia, the military European Union Training Mission to Somalia and the European Naval Force Operation Atalanta. The Mission’s budget for its current mandate is 81 million Euros.
EUCAP Somalia is based in Mogadishu with field offices in Somaliland and Puntland, and a back-office in Nairobi, Kenya.
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Our work
EUCAP Somalia works in partnership with Somali authorities to rebuild Somalia’s maritime law-enforcement and enhance police capability. The Mission works with the Federal Government and Federal Member States to define Somalia’s Maritime Security Architecture, and improve its maritime legal framework and law-enforcement capacity. It does the latter through supporting the development of coast guard functions, which contribute to counter piracy, human trafficking, smuggling and illegal fishing as well as many other maritime security issues.
The Mission also provides assistance to police development through reinforcement of Somali Police Force capabilities, including its interaction with the criminal justice chain, and enhancing the interoperability between Somali Security Forces in support of the Somali Transition Plan. The Somali Transition Plan was developed by the Federal Government of Somalia and its partners to guide the transfer of security responsibility from ATMIS to Somali Security Forces, which includes supporting civilian rule of law in areas liberated from Al Shabab. The Somali Police Force plays an important role in ensuring a safe and secure environment for the population in these areas.
Three pillars of EUCAP Somalia
- Support the development of the maritime security sector by providing capacity building on coast guard functions. The Mission reinforces the Maritime Police units in and around the three main Somali ports (Mogadishu, Berbera and Bossaso).
- Support the development of the police sector, with special reference to the implementation of the Somali Transition Plan. This includes developing the Federal Darwish, strengthening INTERPOL's National Central Bureau and enhancing the Somali Police Force Command and Control capability.
- Promote the rule of law by providing capacity building on police-prosecutor cooperation and legislative drafting in the field of criminal justice.
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Head of Mission: Kęstutis Lančinskas
On 26 March 2024, the Political and Security Committee has adopted a decision to appoint Mr. Lančinskas as Head of Mission of EUCAP Somalia from 1 May 2024 to 31 December 2024. Since May 2022, he serves as an advisor for national security issues to Prime Minister of Lithuania. Before assuming this position, he was Vice-Minister of Interior, responsible for crisis management and state border protection.
He has provided his EU-related expertise on law enforcement agencies reforms. In the CSDP context, he headed the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) in Ukraine from January 2016 to June 2019. Prior to joining the EUAM, Mr. Lančinskas served as Chief of Vilnius County Police. Also, he gained diplomatic experience, working at the Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions in Latvia and Israel.
Mr. Lančinskas holds a Master’s degree in Law. Focusing on internal and external security policy priorities, he has three decades of professional experience in policing, diplomacy and European integration.
You can access Mr. Lančinskas’ CV HERE.
EU in Somalia
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 operations under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP): The counter-piracy focused EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta ,and the military training mission 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.