Lawmakers discuss sending more Georgian soldiers to EU Central Africa mission

Parliament’s Defence and Security Committee today discussed the President’s decree about sending a Georgian platoon to participate in a European Union (EU) peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic and Mali.

The Committee supported President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s decree to be voted by lawmakers at an upcoming plenary session in Parliament. 

If at least 76 lawmakers out of the 150-seat legislative body support the initiative, Georgia will increase the number of soldiers serving in an EU military training mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) from five to 20.

In April this year the European Council (EC) approved the establishment of the EUTM RCA mission to contribute to the country’s defence sector reform.

According to the EC, the mission was based in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, and will operate for an initial period of two years. 

The mission will work towards a modernised, effective, inclusive and democratically accountable Central African Armed Forces (FACA). It will also provide strategic advice to the CAR’s Ministry of Defence and the general staff, as well as education and training to the FACA.

Georgia agreed to participate in this mission in 2014.

Meanwhile about 100 Georgian troops are also serving in another EU mission, the EU Force RCA mission (EUFOR RCA) – a United Nations-mandated EU peacekeeping mission in Bangui, established to stabilize the area after more than a year of internal conflict. 

An agreement to launch the mission was reached by EU players in January 2014 and Georgia sent about 100 soldiers to participate in the mission when it officially began in April 2014.