Artémis operation
The operation Artémis is a carried out military mission, from June 6th to September 6th 2003 in Ituri, by the European Union with the title of the European Politique of safety and defense (PESD).
Objectives
It is about the first military operation of Maintien of peace realized by the European Union apart from the perimeter of the old continent and without the recourse to the agreements known as of Berlin more which make it possible to Europeans to profit from means of NATO. The European force in Ituri had received for task “to contribute to stabilize the security conditions there and to improve the humane situation there, to ensure the protection of the airport and the displaced persons being in the camps of Bunia and, if the situation requires it, to contribute to ensure the safety of the civil population and the personnel of the the United Nations and the humanitarian organizations in the city”. This force had indeed been deployed to put an end in the immediate future to the engagements and to put an end to the exactions against the civil populations in the capital of this district of the Democratic republic of Congo. Thus, the United Nations had the time necessary with the installation of a new “Ituri Brigade” of the blue helmets of the MONUC.
Manpower and organization
France took up the duty of “nation tallies” of the operation and provided the quota more packed. Although 18 nations took part in the operation, approximately 80% of committed manpower emanated from the French Armies. Approximately 2200 people were mobilized for this action. 2060 were indeed present on the African continent, while the other elements were assigned to the strategic general headquarter of level, installed with Paris, responsible for the control of the operation. 1035 soldiers were indeed present at Bunia at the time when the force reached its operational plenitude. The remainder of the quota was distributed between the Base of Support for Vocation Inter Armies (BSVIA) of the mission - established with Entebbe - and of the aerodromes Gabonese and Chadians who accommodated the fighters intended to protect and support the terrestrial component.
Sources
- François Heisbourg (to dir. of) strategic Directory and soldier 2004 , Foundation for strategic research, Paris, Odile Jacob, 2004 (pages 222 to 224, chapter of Yves Boyer)
- Sylvain Relative, Means of military intervention of the European Union today in comparison with the Artémis operation as a Democratic republic of Congo , memory of Diploma of specialized higher learning of European strategic studies to the Institute of political studies of Lille under the direction of Andre Miroir, 2004 General
- Jean-Paul Tuna boat, acts of the day ofstudy on Means of French strategic autonomy organized by the Foundation for Strategic Research, Paris, on January 14th 2004
- Stef Goris, European Union and the maintenance of peace in Africa , report/ratio presented in front of the Parliament of the Western European Union in the name of the commission of Defense, A/1880 Document, December 2004