BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Council on Friday adopted a decision establishing a €40 million assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of the Republic of Mozambique. This assistance measure complements an urgent measure amounting to €4 million approved by the Council under the EPF on July 30, 2021, for the most urgently required equipment.
With the measure decided on, the EU will support the Mozambican military units trained by the EU military training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique) and enable them to conduct security operations in the country’s northern province of Cabo Delgado.
The assistance measure will, in particular, provide adequate, non-lethal equipment to strengthen the capacities of the first Mozambican army companies scheduled to be the first to benefit from the EUTM Mozambique’s training. This includes individual and collective equipment, ground mobility assets, technical tools and a field hospital.
The provision of the assistance will be subject to the compliance of the EUTM-trained units of the Mozambican armed forces with relevant international law, in particular international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as with relevant legal instruments and best practices based on international and EU rules, standards and policies in the area of the supply of military equipment.
The assistance measure will cover part of the EUTM’s mandate duration. In 2021, partial support packages will be provided to the two companies currently undergoing training by Portugal while, as from 2022, three additional companies will receive support. In total, 11 companies of the Mozambican army and navy will undergo training by the EUTM in several batches and subsequently form a Quick Reaction Force.
The EU decision follows the request by the minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Mozambique in her letter of August 27, 2021, to the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
