This 9th edition of the Advanced Course for Political Advisors in EU Missions and Operations is a three modular course co-organised by the Brussels-based Egmont Institute, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the Austrian National Defence Academy, between February and June 2020.
Module 1 was held in Brussels from 24th to 28th February 2020. Twenty-five civilian experts, diplomats and high-ranking military officers from Member States, EU Institutions and CSDP missions and operations were introduced to their future role as political advisors within the institutional framework.
This first module aimed to give participants wider knowledge of the tasks and challenges likely to be faced by Political Advisors in a CSDP mission or operation, both at operational and strategic level. It provided a detailed overview of the core principles of the EU’s External Action as well as enhancing existing skills through a practical training exercise. Participants had to present to an expert panel their assessments of potential political consequences of their respective decisions and impacts of various operational activities on the population of the host country, EU interests and mission effectiveness.
