Operation Artemis

Operation Artemis was a short-term European Union-led military mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the beginning of 2003 United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or MONUC, observer teams present in that country since 1999 monitored serious combats and human rights violations in Ituri province. In April 2003 eight hundred Uruguayan soldiers were deployed in Bunia, the capital of the province. In the same month an observer died in a mine explosion. In May 2003 two military observers were killed by militia.

The withdrawal of seven thousand Ugandan troops in April 2003 led to a deteriorating security situation in the Ituri region endangering the peace process in DRC.

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for establishing and deploying a temporary multi-national force to the area until the weakened MONUC mission could be reinforced. On May 30, 2003 the Security Council adopted the Resolution 1484 authorising the deployment of an Interim Multinational Emergency Force (IMEF) to Bunia with a task to secure the airport, protect internally displaced persons in camps and the civilians in the town.

The French Government had already shown interest in leading the operation. It soon broadened to an EU-led mission with France as the "Lead nation" providing the bulk of the personnel and complemented by contributions from both EU and non-EU nations. The total force consisted of about 1800 personnel and was supported by French aircraft based at N'Djamena and Entebbe airfields. A small 80 man Swedish Special Forces group (SSG) was also added.

Operation Artemis was launched on June 12 and the IMEF completed its deployment in the following three weeks. The force was successful in stabilising the situation in Bunia and enforcing the UN presence in the DRC. In September 2003, responsibility for the security of the region was handed over to the MONUC mission. The number of authorized personnel in the MONUC mission was previously extended in Resolution 1493.

Artemis was the first autonomous EU military mission outside Europe - an important milestone in development of European Security and Defence Policy.

Contributing nations

• Military forces: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, Croatia
• Headquarters staff: Austria, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain

See also

• Second Congo War
• Ituri Conflict

References

• Operation Artemis: The Lessons of the Interim Emergency Multinational Force