European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) 11 July 2018 ECA Special Report No 15/2018 Strengthening the capacity of the internal security forces in Niger and Mali: only limited and slow progress Presentation by Bettina Jakobsen, Member, European Court of Auditors

EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Introduction Niger and Mali are fragile states in Western Africa with young parliamentary democracies, weak economies and developing public administrations. March 2011: EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel; EUCAP Sahel Niger, 2012 ‘to support the capacity building of the Nigerien security actors to fight terrorism and organised crime’; EUCAP Sahel Mali, 2014 ‘to allow the Malian authorities to restore and maintain constitutional and democratic order and the conditions for lasting peace in Mali’.

- Audit objective, audit questions and overall conclusions EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Audit objective, audit questions and overall conclusions Audit objective: To examine how the EUCAP Sahel Missions were set up and managed, how they operated, and whether they succeeded in strengthening the capacity of the forces responsible for internal security in Niger and Mali. Audit questions: Did the EEAS plan and implement the EUCAP Sahel Missions well? Have the EUCAP Sahel Missions strengthened the capacity of the security forces in Niger and Mali? Overall conclusions: The Missions contributed to strengthening the capacity of the internal security forces in Niger and Mali, but progress was slowed by the challenging context and operational inefficiencies.

- Audit findings: Operational efficiency EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Audit findings: Operational efficiency Operational efficiency was negatively affected by two-year mandates and annual budgets, as well as a high number of staff vacancies; Mission staff did not receive adequate practical guidance and support, and in some cases the procedures applied were unsuited to working conditions on the ground; Delays in implementation due to delayed equipment and lack of training of recruited staff; Logistical and operational arrangements were not in place; No allocated budget for the set-up phase, and only little administrative and logistical support from Brussels; While training was in line with the objectives, weak administrative procedures meant lack of documentation; Regional Operational Centre was not actually operational.

- Audit findings: Sustainability EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Audit findings: Sustainability The Missions worked towards making their activities sustainable, but with little success; Lack of ownership or political will in the host countries; No verification by the Missions of the success of the provided support; Weak performance indicators, inadequate monitoring and evaluation as well as no independent external evaluations; Although the Missions were not intended to be permanent features, there is no clear exit strategy.

- Audit findings: Positive assessments on the ground EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Audit findings: Positive assessments on the ground The beneficiaries’ and stakeholders’ overall assessment of the activities carried out by the Missions was positive; Appreciation of the availability to give advice and provide services, which were not available from national sources; Both Missions provided information and advice in support of other EU instruments and the wider activities of the EU and its member states; Donors and Stakeholders highlighted that the Missions played an important role in coordinating activities in the security sector.

EUCAP Sahel Niger Mali - Recommendations The EEAS/Commission should: take measures to improve the operational efficiency of the Missions; improve the occupancy rate of staff posts in the Missions; set mandates and budgets to match operations and provide for an exit strategy; increase the focus on sustainability; improve indicators, monitoring and evaluation.

Thank you I would like to thank you for your attention.