EU countries have approved a further €20 million package of support for Mauritania’s armed forces under the European Peace Facility.
The decision is the fourth “assistance measure” agreed for Mauritania through the facility, described as funding military equipment, the Council of the EU announced on Thursday.
The new package brings the EU’s overall bilateral support for Mauritania under the European Peace Facility to €75 million.
The Council said the latest decision complements three earlier measures that support the Mauritanian armed forces’ efforts in the Sahel region, including protecting Mauritania’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and its civilian population.
The EU is already providing capabilities for military activities on land and at sea, including surveillance, deterrence and operations, the Council added.
Focus on land surveillance
Under the newly adopted measure, the Mauritanian army will receive additional non-lethal land surveillance assets, the Council stated.
The equipment is intended to improve “situational awareness” across the country — a term used by militaries to mean understanding what is happening in an area in real time.
The European Peace Facility was set up in March 2021 to fund EU actions with military or defence implications outside the bloc, with the stated purpose of preventing conflict, preserving peace and strengthening international security and stability.
