On Thursday, 1 December, the Council of the EU adopted five assistance measures under the ‘European Peace Facility’ (EPF) in support of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Lebanon, Mauritania, and the deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force in Mozambique—assistance that comes to a total of €68 million.
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EU Council adopted a €10 million measure that will strengthen the capacities of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) by upgrading and modernising the tactical support brigade’s equipment.
According to the Council of the EU, this assistance will also enable the armed forces to contribute to the EU’s CSDP military missions and operations as well as the swift and sustainable deployment of the NATO-designated battalion and will “ultimately contribute to the protection of the civilian population. The assistance measure will finance field equipment, key tools for military engineering and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) materiel”.
The Bosnian minister of foreign affairs requested the assistance in June 2022.
Georgia. The Council of the EU adopted a €20 million measure in support of the Georgian Defence Forces so as to help them strengthen the capacities of their military medical, logistics, engineering, and cyber-defence services by providing relevant non-lethal equipment, supplies, and services, including equipment-related training.
This assistance measure will complement the €12.75 million assistance measure that was adopted in December 2021 (see EUROPE 12845/20).
Lebanon. The EU Council adopted a €6 million assistance measure that will finance healthcare equipment to support military medical services as well as individual equipment for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Lebanon’s minister of foreign affairs requested the assistance in October 2022.
Mauritania. The Council of the EU adopted €12 million in assistance for the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FARIM). The assistance has two objectives: to improve the military capacities of two pre-identified FARIM battalions and to improve the in situ medical capacities of the FARIM on the border with Mali, Western Sahara, and Algeria. The support consists of the provision of light boats, individual protective equipment, and medical equipment.
Rwanda. Finally, the EU Council adopted a €20 million measure to support the continued deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force in the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique (see EUROPE 12947/16).
The assistance measure will enable collective and personal equipment to be acquired and will cover costs related to strategic airlift, which is needed to sustain Rwanda’s deployment in Cabo Delgado. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)