EU budgets €750m to support security in Africa

The European Union yesterday adopted an action programme that will provide up to €750 million during the period 2014-2016 to support peace and security in Africa.

The new funding according to a statement from the EU commission will be channeled through the African Peace Facility (APF) to support the African Union and African subregional organisations in their peace and security efforts.

“An initial amount of €325 million will be committed for 2014 and funding will rapidly be made available to support ongoing peace operations,” the statement read.

The APF is a central instrument in the cooperation between Africa and the EU on peace and security. With the action programme, the APF will continue to support Africanled peace operations, the strengthening of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and quick impact actions aimed at conflict prevention and crisis management, it said.

EU commissioner for development Andris Piebalgs said: “Since its creation in 2004, the African Peace Facility has had a direct and positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of Africans who are affected by conflicts and crises”.

The funding will allow EU to extend support for the success of ongoing African-led peace operations such as AMISOM in Somalia and MISCA in the Central African Republic.