The European External Action Service (EEAS) proposed, in a document dated 3 May obtained by EUROPE, €20 million in assistance to the Rwandan armed forces under the European Peace Facility.
This proposal responds to a request made on 6 December 2021 by Rwanda to the EU to support the deployment of Rwandan forces in the insurgency-ridden province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique. Rwanda deployed troops to the province in July 2021 at the request of Mozambique and “to support the protection of civilians against terrorism”, the EEAS explains.
Thus, according to the diplomatic service, the assistance provided would be aimed at supporting the continued deployment of units of the Rwandan forces “to extend, protect and sustain the territorial and tactical gains they have made so far”. “This should ensure the security and protection of the civilian population in Mozambique’s northern provinces and facilitate the return of law enforcement agencies and of other accountable state structures that deliver services for the benefit of the population”, it adds.
The EEAS proposes that the financial assistance should support the deployment of the Rwandan defence forces by covering relevant types of expenditure linked to it, “with the exception of military equipment or platforms designed to deliver lethal force as well as of troop salaries and allowances”.
Nine million of the €20 million could be spent on collective equipment, such as deployable tents, vehicles or generators. The same amount of money could go to air transport for troop rotations and resupply. The remaining two million could be used for staff equipment. The implementation period would be one year.
The total estimated budget for the deployment of the Rwandan forces for one year amounts to €300 million, according to the EEAS. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)