Mozambique: More countries join training mission against terrorism

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Mozambique: More countries join training mission against terrorism

4:20 CAT | 27 May 2022

Image: Noticias

Italy, Sweden and Lithuania will join the European Union Military Training Mission in Mozambique, in the context of the fight against terrorism that has been plaguing parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017.

The mission has been providing training since November last year, and so far it has trained four units of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM). Two are commando units, based in the central city of Chimoio, while the other two are marines, stationed at the Katembe, naval base in Maputo.

By order of arrival, the mission consists of soldiers and officers from Portugal, Spain, Finland (with the second largest contingent after the Portuguese force), Estonia, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Romania and France.

The mission was adopted by the Council of the European Union in October last year to support a more efficient and effective response by the FADM to the crisis in Cabo Delgado, providing training and capacity building.

It has 140 soldiers divided into two training centers, one in Chimoio, and the other in Katembe.

The costs for EUTM-Mozambique, to be covered through the European Peace Facility, have been estimated at 15.1 million euros (about 16.1 million US dollars) for a two-year period. In addition, an urgent assistance measure under the European Peace Facility of four million euros has been approved to complement the training with the provision of non-lethal individual and collective equipment.

The mission’s mandate is for two years and, during this period, the central strategic objective is to support capacity building of units of the Mozambican armed forces that will form part of a future Rapid Reaction Force. In particular, the Mission will ensure military training, including operational readiness, specialized counter-terrorism training and education on the protection of civilians – especially women and girls – in insecure areas.

EUTM Mozambique will also ensure compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law.

The Mission has a non-executive mandate and will therefore not engage in military operations.

During the last visit of the commander of EUTM-Mozambique to Cabo Delgado, the intention was to study the possibility of setting up a training center in this province, where counter-terrorism operations are taking place.

Source: AIM