The High Representative of the Union, Kaja Kallas, announced on Tuesday 1 September, after an informal ministerial meeting of European defence ministers in Wicklow (Ireland), that a decision on an EU CSDP mission in Lebanon could be taken in October. In December 2025, Ireland, Austria and Spain had proposed examining the possibility of a training mission for the armed forces (see EUROPE 13787/5).
“Planning is progressing well, and we aim for the Council decision to launch in October”, Ms Kallas explained, specifying that the mission would aim “to advise and train the country’s armed forces, including on border and maritime security”.
According to Ms Kallas, the aim is to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and the capacity of the Lebanese state to ensure security throughout its territory. “Which means also training, supporting their border control, their internal forces to actually establish order, so that it is remaining with the Lebanese government what is happening in Lebanon”, she specified, adding that the EU was not seeking to replace the UNIFIL mission UNIFIL.
The High Representative announced that more than 10 Member States had already said they were “willing to contribute resources and people as well”.
“In the face of persistent instability in the region and in Lebanon, it is essential to agree on a new mission as quickly as possible”, stressed the Irish minister, Helen McEntee, announcing that her country intended to take part in this new mission. For time is running out - the mission of UNIFIL is due to end at the end of the year. “As the UN Under-Secretary-General, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has emphasised, while we begin the withdrawal of our troops (from UNIFIL), we do not want to create a vacuum where a continued presence is necessary”, Ms McEntee warned.
“We have every interest in ensuring a smooth transition (with UNIFIL) and (in having) a well-designed mission”, added Sebastian Hartmann, State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence, stressing that the transition needed to take place “as smoothly as possible by the end of the year”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)