Major General Dr.Ferenc Banfi, Head of EUBAM, will end his duties on 31st of December 2009. Mr Udo Burkholder, Deputy Head of Mission, will be acting Head until a suitable replacement is chosen.
EUBAM will continue to support the delivery of good quality border and customs services to the citizens and companies of Moldova, Ukraine and the European Union.
‘I've seen real changes on the ground in my four years with EUBAM' said Mr Banfi. ‘By supporting the Ukrainian and Moldovan border guards, customs services and other key partners, EUBAM has helped make the border areas more secure.' ‘I salute our partners' professionalism,' he said, ‘and appreciate the warm hospitality offered to me in both Moldova and Ukraine. I wish all our partners and EUBAM all the very best in the future.'
Mr Banfi has lead EUBAM since its establishment in December 2005. He will take up his new role as Director of the European Police College (CEPOL) in the United Kingdom in February 2010.
Yet more work needs to be done. On July 15, on the request of the two host governments, the European Commissions' Directorate General for External Relations prolonged the mission for another two years, until 30 November 2011. EUBAMs' ‘Phase 7' places a stronger emphasis on supporting positive developments within the partner services. It also includes structural changes to better support EUBAMs core aims.
