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The peacekeeping force heading for Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) may be European in name but it will be largely French in number and nature.

Of the total force of 3,700 troops, more than half will be French, they will be led on the ground by a Frenchman (Brig Gen Jean-Philippe Ganascia) and their headquarters is based at Mont Valerien near Paris.

The operation's overall commander, Lt Gen Pat Nash, is Irish but the force, known as Eufor Chad/CAR, was struggling to get off the ground until President Nicolas Sarkozy of France stepped in with a commitment to fill in the missing gaps.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Gen Nash said the French role was essential. It had undertaken the "critical responsibility of lead logistical nation" and if there was a lesson to be learned it was that such a lead had to be taken.

'Logistical Everest'

He was under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead. "The area of operations is located in the middle of Africa, an area posing a logistical Everest," he said.


Eufor Chad/CAR will actively work for an improvement of the security situation in Chad and the Central African Republic and in this context it will be conducted in a neutral, impartial and independent manner


Lt Gen Pat Nash, Eufor Operational Commander
It was, he said, 2,250km (1,400 miles) from the nearest sea port to the Chadian capital N'Djamena and another 770km (480 miles) to the headquarters in Abeche and the country itself had only 500km of paved roads.

Twenty-two EU countries will be involved, including 14 on the ground. General Nash estimated that the initial entry force would be in place in early March, with the full deployment by mid-May, before the rainy season makes roads impassable.

Darfur crisis

The Irish commander was speaking alongside the EU's special representative for Sudan, Torben Brylle, and both were keen to put the Eufor operation in the context of the UN's joint mission with the African Union in Darfur.

Only 9,000 peacekeepers have arrived in Darfur to date and Ambassador Brylle said it was tremendously important that a credible deployment could take place.


CHAD'S REFUGEES
E Chad: 240,000 Darfur refugees in 12 camps
E Chad: 180,000 internally displaced in spontaneous settlements and 200 villages
S Chad: 45,000 refugees from CAR in four camps

"Although they are strictly separate, I think it's important to note the almost simultaneous deployment, which demonstrates the international community's, the European Union's engagement in efforts to find solutions to the region, " Mr Brylle said.

The operation is to be split into three areas, because of the different requirements of the displaced civilian population.

In the northern area, where most of the Darfur refugees are concentrated, Eufor will maintain a presence for security operations.

A more robust security presence will stay in the centre, where there are both refugees and internally displaced people.

In the south, special operations forces will be deployed in the border area between Chad and the Central African Republic to deter rebel attacks.

France and the rebels

France already has 1,100 troops in Chad under a 1986 agreement to guarantee "territorial integrity", but rebel groups believe the French helped thwart an attempted attack on N'Djamena in 2006.

Late last year, the main rebel group, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD), declared a "state of war" against French and other foreign forces because it saw them as "bringing diplomatic, strategic and logistical aid" to the president.

Map

Responding to fears of how the heavy French involvement in the EU force might be seen on the ground, General Nash went out of his way to guarantee its impartiality.

"Eufor Chad/CAR will actively work for an improvement of the security situation in Chad and the Central African Republic and in this context it will be conducted in a neutral impartial and independent manner".

There was no intention of getting involved in the domestic politics of Chad and CAR, he said, although they would fire back if fired upon.

Impartial motives

France too has done its best to show this latest mission will be impartial.

Foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said its sole aim was to help displaced people in Chad. "This mission is very straightforward and not to back President Deby," he said in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week.

A French official added that the EU force would be following a very clear UN mandate.

Practically that might be awkward when two separate French forces will be working in the same city under different mandates. France already has a base in Abeche where the EU force is due to set up camp.

Blue flash

It seems they will live apart and look rather different. The EU troops, although wearing national uniform, will have a blue EU flash on their arms with a circle of gold stars.

Annette Rehil, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) spokeswoman in Chad, suggested it might become rather confusing for local people, seeing various groups of white males from Europe.

"Among the local population, the French have a bad reputation as being a foreign force," she said.

The EU has taken part in military missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006.

But the latest mission is far more ambitious. It is described as its biggest multinational effort so far and is likely to be among its most challenging.