The EU has established a new three-year support mission in Lebanon to advise and train the country’s armed forces and internal security services.
EU foreign affairs ministers agreed the decision under the bloc’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) — the EU framework for civilian and military crisis-management missions — creating the European Union Support Mission in Lebanon (EUSM Lebanon), the Council of the EU reported on Monday.
The mission is intended to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces, including work linked to border security, internal security and maritime security.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the mission would “advise and assist” Lebanon’s armed forces and internal security forces to strengthen “territorial control, border security, and internal security."
Military and civilian pillars
EUSM Lebanon will have a military pillar and a civilian pillar under a single political mandate, with each carrying out separate tasks.
The military pillar will provide advisory support and training to the Lebanese Armed Forces on border and maritime security, including land border surveillance and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, counter-smuggling and operational co-ordination.
The civilian pillar will support the Internal Security Forces with advice and specialised training, including on cybercrime and anti-smuggling, and will also support “port security governance”, including at the Port of Beirut.
Operational planning will continue ahead of a future deployment, with a separate Council decision needed to formally launch the mission once planning is completed.
