Last week, an Italian Carabinieri Lieutenant Colonelattended at the European Gendarmerie Force’s Permanent Headquarters (EUROGENDFOR PHQ) an intensive pre-deployment training previous to hisdeployment to Mali as the next leader of the Serious and Organized Crime & Counter-Terrorism Team (SOC&CT).
The team is embedded within the United NationsMultidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Theconcept of a SOC&CT Team being deployed to Mali was born in 2016 during thejoint technical visit to the country conducted by the UN Police Division’s Serious and Organized Crime (SOC) Team, along with EUROGENDFOR PHQ personnel. The training covered the different aspects ofthe mission, from providing a background of the mission, to deliver the officer the knowledge and support needed in Mali as it is today, as well as communicating him the expectations of the PHQ in regards to his role as SOC & CT Team leader.