Despite setbacks from military coups in Mali and Niger, the European Union is planning to launch a new military-civilian mission in Africa in the fall, whose aim is to prevent instability triggered by jihadi groups, a German newspaper has reported.

EU member states have agreed to launch the mission in the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, with police and soldiers deployed to Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast, German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag reported on Sunday (27 August), citing diplomats. According to the report, the mission should pursue four key objectives: in addition to a general strengthening of the security forces, particularly in the north of the four countries, through advice and training, there should also be specific “pre-deployment training” for anti-terrorist operations, technical support and confidence-building in the security sector. The mission is to be launched once the EU foreign ministers have made a formal decision to this effect at their meeting in Luxembourg in October.

High-ranking EU diplomats involved in the planning of the operation said the reason for the planned mission is the EU’s concern that jihadist groups in West Africa will expand their activities from the Sahel region towards the southern coastal countries along the Gulf of Guinea, thus further spreading instability in the region. The governments of Benin and Ghana had already sent formal letters of invitation for the EU mission to be deployed on their territories. Militant activity from extremist groups linked to “Islamic State” and al-Qaida have rocked countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years. Brussels also wants to counter Russian influence in the region which has been spread through Wagner mercenaries who have supported military regimes in the Sahel. The situation in the region and in Niger in particular is also important for the EU because it is one of the most important transit countries for African migrants on their way to Europe.