Central African Republic: EU Signals Support for Peacekeeping Force

EU diplomats have signaled preliminary support for a plan to deploy peacekeepers to the Central African Republic (CAR). The proposed EU force would back up French and African peacekeepers already in the country.

Ambassadors from the EU's 28 member states agreed in principle on Friday to launch a joint military operation in the CAR, aimed at securing the capital Bangui and protecting refugees and aid workers from fighting between Christian and Muslim militias.

According to the current EU proposal, there is a "pressing need" to restore security in order to "avoid the CAR sliding towards complete state failure on the previous Somalia model, and large scale massacres against the civilian population."

Unnamed diplomatic sources told the AFP news agency that up to 1,000 troops could be deployed to the CAR. It's unclear which nations would contribute. A final decision will be made on January 20 when the EU's foreign ministers meet in Brussels.

France urges EU support

France has been urging its allies to send money and reinforcements since December. Paris has deployed 1,600 troops to support around 4,000 African peacekeepers in the CAR. But the modestly sized force has been unable to stem the communal violence and resulting humanitarian crisis in a country the size of France itself.

French troops fail to stop the violence in CAR

France launched Operation Sangaris one month ago in a bid to stop the catastrophe unfolding in the Central African Republic. But the violence has only escalated, and the number of displaced has risen to one million. (09.01.2014)

"What we need is a presence at specific points, such as the airport," French President Francois Hollande said in December.

"What I would like to see politically is a European presence," Hollande said. "That it not be said that 'France is alone.'"

Several European nations - Belgium, Britain, Germany, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands - have already offered logistical support. But up until now, EU leaders have reacted coolly to the idea of deploying boots on the ground. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Paris would have to involve the EU in the operational decision making.