Litouwen is tijdens presidentschap erg betrokken bij ontwikkeling effectieve EU-missies en operaties (en)

The Lithuanian Presidency i of the EU Council is enhancing its role in development of leadership capabilities at the EU missions and operations within the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), said major-general Jonas Vytautas Žukas, Lithuanian Military Representative to NATO and EU, at the opening ceremony of the EU senior mission leaders’ course on September 29 in Brussels.

“This is the third course related to the Common Security and Defence Policy during the Lithuanian Presidency. It represents our genuine interest in contributing to the development of the CSDP capabilities in civilian and military domains,” said maj. gen. Žukas.

The aim of the training is to address the most current and pressing needs in the political, strategic and operational EU context. The two-week course, held under the aegis of the European Security and Defence College, is conducted by the Folke Bernadotte Academy (Sweden), in close cooperation with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian EU Presidency and the European External Action Service.

32 participants, a constellation of civilian, police and military candidates, have gone through a selection process to form a cadre of well-trained possible candidates for future Head of Mission, Force Commander and other senior positions. Among the participants is lieutenant colonel Remigijus Baltrėnas, former commander of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan’s Ghor province which was led by Lithuania.

Karl Åke Roghe, Head of Mission for the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan, underlined that this course is the most crucial in the toolbox of a head of mission. Nominated by Sweden to the course in 2012, he went on to succeed in the recruitment process for the mission shortly after the training.