21/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU supports idea of AU peace mission. On Saturday 19 December, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said that the EU supported the decision taken the previous day by the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council authorising a mission of 5,000 troops to be sent to Burundi. “The African Union shows strong leadership in the efforts to stop the violence in Burundi, to protect civilians and to pave the way for a political solution”, Mogherini and Mimica said in a press release. They called on the government, which opposes the idea of such a mission, and on “all other actors” in the country to “work now with the African Union to achieve this goal”. They also stated that the EU remained ready to bring its support (see EUROPE 11453). (JK)