EUBAM Libya: new Head of Mission appointed

Natalina Cea was appointed the 14th January 2021 as the Head of Mission of the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya. She will take up her duties on 1 February 2021 succeeding Vincenzo Tagliaferri, who has been Head of Mission since 1 September 2016.

Natalina Cea is an Italian civil servant who has worked at a senior level for more than 20 years, both in Italy – as Director of the International Cooperation and Technical Assistance Office of the Italian Customs Administration – and internationally, leading missions, programs and projects in the civilian security sector, particularly in the field of border management and related security and justice issues.

EUBAM Libya, a civilian Mission under the Common Security and Defence Policy, was launched on 22 May 2013. It is tasked with contributing to the Libyan authorities’ efforts to disrupt organised criminal networks involved in smuggling of migrants, human trafficking and terrorism. The mission coordinates and implements projects with international partners in the fields of border management, law enforcement and criminal justice.

The 14th January decision was taken by the Political and Security Committee.

Ms. CEA is an Italian civil servant who has worked at a senior level for more than 20 years, both in Italy as Director of the International Cooperation and Technical 

Assistance Office of the Italian Customs Administration and internationally, leading missions, programs and projects in the civilian security sector, particularly in the field of border management and related security and justice issues. 

She has led the EC Mission CAM -Albania and more recently, in the framework of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, she was at the head of EUBAM Rafah in Palestine and the Regional Coordination Cell (RCC) in the Sahel. These experiences further developed her leadership capabilities in international contexts, particularly in those affected by security crises. She has a thorough understanding of CSDP and its procedures, including planning and evaluation systems and reporting to PSC and CivCom, further enhanced by her most recent secondment to CPCC in Brussels. 

While serving in Italy, she headed two regional initiatives (Mediterranean and Venice) and a significant number of projects funded by the European Union, covering the Balkans, and Middle East and North African countries, thereby increasing her knowledge and overview of security and border issues in the wider Mediterranean context, including cross-border cooperation agreements and integrated border management strategies and plans. 

As a result of her work on the ground, particularly in the Balkans, Palestine, Libya and the Sahel, she has honed her ability to integrate programs, projects and funds to reinforce the coherence of EU assistance to beneficiary countries in security sector governance and reform and border management. 

Ms. CEA holds a degree in Economics and has completed several post-graduate courses in negotiation and mediation, Security Sector Reform, Theory of Change and impact evaluation. 

She has coordinated studies and reports on EU and international blueprints on customs and regional border management, security and defence sectors, including their presentation at international fora and conducting related training activities.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor