Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/439Show full title

Article 3 U.K. Mandate

1. In order to achieve the Union's policy objectives in relation to the Sahel, the mandate of the EUSR shall be to:

(a) actively contribute to the implementation, coordination and further development of the Union's comprehensive approach to the regional crisis, on the basis of its Strategy, with a view to enhancing the overall coherence and effectiveness of Union activities in the Sahel, in particular in Mali;

(b) engage with all relevant stakeholders of the region, governments, regional authorities, regional and international organisations, civil society and diasporas, with a view to furthering the Union's objectives and contribute to a better understanding of the role of the Union in the Sahel;

(c) represent the Union in relevant regional and international fora, including the Support and Follow-Up Group on the situation in Mali, and ensure visibility for Union support to crisis management and conflict prevention, including the European Union military mission to contribute to the training of the Malian Armed Forces (EUTM Mali) and the European Union CSDP mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger);

(d) maintain close cooperation with the United Nations (UN), in particular the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, the African Union (AU), in particular the AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and other leading national, regional and international stakeholders including other Special Envoys for the Sahel, as well as with the relevant bodies in the Maghreb area;

(e) closely follow the regional and trans-boundary dimensions of the crisis, including terrorism, organised crime, arms smuggling, human trafficking, drug trafficking, refugee and migration flows and related financial flows; in close cooperation with the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, contribute to the further implementation of the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy;

(f) maintain regular high level political contacts with the countries in the region affected by terrorism and international crime in order to ensure a coherent and comprehensive approach and to ensure the Union's key role in the international efforts to fight terrorism and international crime. This includes the Union's active support to regional capacity-building in the security sector, and ensuring that the root causes of terrorism and international crime in the Sahel are adequately addressed;

(g) closely follow the political and security consequences of humanitarian crises in the region;

(h) with regard to Mali, contribute to regional and international efforts to facilitate the resolution of the crisis in Mali, in particular a full return to constitutional normalcy and governance throughout the territory and a credible national inclusive dialogue leading to a sustainable political settlement;

(i) promote institution building, security sector reform and long-term peace building and reconciliation in Mali;

(j) contribute to the implementation of the Union's human rights policy in the region in cooperation with the EUSR for Human Rights, including the EU Guidelines on human rights, in particular the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, as well as on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, and the Union's policy on Women, Peace and Security, including by monitoring and reporting on developments, as well as formulating recommendations in this regard and maintain regular contacts with the relevant authorities in Mali and in the region, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the human rights defenders and observers in the region;

(k) follow up and report on compliance with relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council (UNSCRs), in particular UNSCRs 2056 (2012), 2071 (2012), 2085 (2012) and 2100 (2013).

2. For the purpose of the fulfilment of his mandate, the EUSR shall, inter alia:

(a) advise and report on the formulation of Union positions in regional and international fora, as appropriate, in order to proactively promote and strengthen the Union's comprehensive approach towards the crisis in the Sahel;

(b) maintain an overview of all activities of the Union and cooperate closely with relevant Union delegations.