Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Council has appointed Ralf Schröder as the new Head of the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM Iraq). He will take up his duties on 16 August 2025.
Ralf Schröder is a senior German police officer with 30 years of experience in the security sector, specializing in counter-terrorism. He has also held various international positions—for example, in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he was head of the embassy security team—and in international missions: the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Since November 2024, Ralf Schröder has served as Deputy Head of Mission in the EUAM Iraq. According to a European statement in Brussels, the Political and Security Committee of the European Council of Ministers took the decision on 8 July 2025.
The EUAM Iraq was launched in October 2017 in response to a request from the Iraqi government for advice on reforming the civilian security sector. The civilian mission, headquartered in Baghdad with an office in Erbil, had an initial mandate of one year, which was extended regularly following an assessment of Iraq's needs.
The mission's primary mission is to assist in the coherent development and implementation of Iraq's National Security Strategy, associated national strategies, and other national security priorities. This process, supported by numerous international partners, includes support for institutional reform, the fight against organized crime, corruption, cultural heritage protection, integrated border management, and counter-terrorism.
The European Union Assistance Mission for Iraq advises officials in the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant stakeholders responsible for civilian aspects of security sector reform. The mission may conduct visits at the regional and local levels to support Iraqi efforts to strengthen country-wide coordination regarding civilian security sector reform. His experience includes several positions, including:
2002 Kabul/Government of Afghanistan - Security Officer
▪ 2003/2004 Baghdad/Iraq - Security Team Leader
▪ 2008/2009 Baghdad/Iraq - Security Team Leader
▪ 2008 Egypt - Hostage Rescue Mission Preparation
▪ 2009 Kenya/Somalia - Hostage Rescue Mission Preparation
▪ 2009/2010 UNMIS - Police Advisor
▪ 2022-2024 Police Commissioner, UNSOM
▪ Since November 2024, Deputy Head of the European Advisory Mission in Iraq