MAPUTO, Mozambique
The European Union Council end of week adopted a decision establishing a €40 million assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of the Republic of Mozambique.
This
assistance measure complements an urgent measure amounting to €4 million
approved by the Council under the EPF on 30 July 2021 for the most urgently
required equipment.
With
the measure decided on today, the EU will support the Mozambican military units
trained by the EU military training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique),
and enable them to conduct security operations in the country’s northern
province of Cabo Delgado.
The
assistance measure will, in particular, provide adequate, non-lethal equipment
to strengthen the capacities of the first Mozambican army companies scheduled
to be the first to benefit from the EUTM Mozambique’s training. This includes
individual and collective equipment, ground mobility assets, technical tools
and a field hospital.
The
provision of the assistance will be subject to the compliance of the
EUTM-trained units of the Mozambican armed forces with relevant international
law, in particular international human rights and international humanitarian
law, as well as with relevant legal instruments and best practices based on
international and EU rules, standards and policies in the area of the supply of
military equipment.
The
assistance measure will cover part of the EUTM’s mandate duration. In 2021,
partial support packages will be provided to the two companies currently
undergoing training by Portugal while, as from 2022, three additional companies
will receive support. In total, 11 companies of the Mozambican army and navy
will undergo training by the EUTM in several batches and subsequently form a
Quick Reaction Force.
Today’s
decision follows the request by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic
of Mozambique in her letter of 27 August 2021 to the High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
This
is the third assistance measure adopted by the Council since the establishment
of the European Peace Facility.
On
22 July 2021, the Council adopted an assistance measure taking the form of a
general programme for support to the African Union (AU) in the second half of
2021, with a budget of €130 million. Support to the AU Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM) and the Somali National Army has been approved under this general
programme.
On
4 November 2021, the Council adopted an assistance measure to support capacity
building within the humanitarian demining battalion of the Armed Forces of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a reference amount of €10 million. Under this
assistance measure, the EU will deliver 68 medical and transport vehicles, as
well as 150 metal detectors to help Bosnia and Herzegovina to become fully mine
free by 2027.
With
regard to Mozambique, on 30 July 2021 the Council approved an urgent measure
under the European Peace Facility amounting to €4 million to provide the most
urgently required equipment and supplies for the two Mozambican companies
scheduled to be the first to benefit from EUTM Mozambique’s training. The
assistance measure adopted today builds further on this initial package of
support.
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