Bracing the wind and riding the norm life cycle: inclusive peacebuilding in the European capacity building mission in Sahel–Mali (EUCAP Sahel–Mali)

Since the political crisis in 2012, the European Union has stepped up its commitment to Mali and the Sahel using various external intervention instruments gathered under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). These instruments are designed to achieve functional and normative goals of the EU. Situating in the debate on normative actorness of the EU and by applying the Whole-of-Society (WOS) approach to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, this paper investigates how the European Capacity Building mission for the Malian Security Forces (EUCAP Sahel–Mali) is operationalising two key EUSSR-related norms – local ownership and inclusivity– and manoeuvres context and programme specific challenges. By analysing the missiontraining/capacity building and outreach, this paper argues the EUCAP mission has been largely functional than normative driven, thus reducing the EU’s overall reputation as a normative actor, particularly in the area of security. This paper offers practical recommendations to reach the EU’s normative goals via SSR

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