Portuguese Defence Minister João Cravinho said, on Friday 28 May, that he hoped the EU’s CSDP training mission in Mozambique could be approved in June.
“It’s progressing, it’s on the right track. I think we will be able to approve this mission”, explained Josep Borrell. “The problem will be to look for capacity; apart from Portugal, who will contribute?”, he questioned.
Portugal said it is ready to put in half the manpower. According to Mr Cravinho, seven or eight Member States have expressed their willingness to participate in the mission, without naming them.
“The mission must first be formally approved, and then the participating countries will have the opportunity to declare what they have said in private”, he explained.
Pending the establishment of the CSDP mission, an EU fact-finding mission is currently in Mozambique to discuss with the local authorities and assess the possibilities and modalities for such a mission. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)