On Monday 15 July, the Council of the European Union adopted two measures to assist the armed forces of Benin and Albania, under the European Peace Facility.
In Benin, the €5 million measure is intended to provide the armed forces with military equipment to meet their operational and pre-deployment training needs. This decision comes on top of the assistance measures adopted in recent months (see EUROPE B1340026, 13432/27). These aim to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Benin and its civilian population. The EU’s overall support to Benin thus amounts to €35 million in 2024, or 27% of the country’s defence budget.
For Albania, the €13 million measure is expected to improve the operational effectiveness of the armed forces, particularly in terms of mobility, manoeuvrability and protection. It will also strengthen Albania’s capacity with respect to its participation in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations and missions, as well as in any international coalitions. This decision “reflects our appreciation for Albania’s full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy”, commented EU High Representative Josep Borrell. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)