The Council adopted today a decision establishing an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of the African Union worth €600 million. The EU reaffirms its strong commitment to the EU-AU partnership and to cooperation in the area of peace and security.
Covering the period 2022-2024, the three-year Assistance Measure continues the well-established provision of long-term EU support to African-led Peace Support Operations. Within its framework, the African Union will be able to request support for individual Peace Support Operations as needs arise, allowing a quick response to relevant security developments on the African continent.
The adopted support is in line with the EU’s commitment to strengthen multilateralism and in particular the key role of the AU regarding peace and security on the African continent. It forms an important part of the two Union’s renewed and enhanced cooperation for peace and security, as announced in the recent AU-EU Summit Declaration.
In the framework of this Council Decision, the Political and Security Committee has approved additional support to further enhance the operational effectiveness of the Multi-National Joint Task Force against Boko Haram (MNJTF) in partnership with the African Union and create a safe and secure environment in the areas affected by the activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. This is the first action supported under the new Assistance Measure in support of African-led Peace Support Operations.
The EU will add €10 million to the resources already mobilised under the EPF for the MNJTF, increasing its overall support to €20 million and allowing for an extension of the provided support until the end of 2022. Previous support covering the period 1 January – 30 June 2022 was agreed on 16 December 2021.
The support provided covers personnel and operational/logistical costs, including ground and air transportation, communication equipment and medical services, to enable the MNJT to effectively carry out its mandate.
Background
The EPF was created in 2021 to support partners around the world in the areas of military and defence. The EU has recently agreed to support Ukraine with a substantive package of military aid under the EPF. At the same time, the EU does not lose sight of its partnerships with other parts of the world, especially Africa, fully recognising the importance of addressing crises and violent conflict on the African continent jointly and in a comprehensive way.
The decision to support the African Union with €600 million is a strong signal of EU’s long-standing commitments to African partners, particularly the African Union.
The EU remains the only sizeable direct contributor to the MNJTF for a total amount of €124.4 million since 2016. The EU is ready to stay closely engaged and fully committed to contributing to the activities of the MNJTF and consolidate the achievements attained so far.
In line with the EU’s Integrated Approach to external conflicts and crises, EPF funding for the MNJTF is one element of a broader, coordinated and coherent response of the EU to support resilience, stabilisation and economic recovery in the Lake Chad Basin. All this should in turn contribute to the implementation of the Lake Chad Regional Stabilisation Strategy in close coordination with all key actors, including the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the African Union.
So far, the Council has adopted ten assistance measures under the European Peace Facility.
