歐盟安全主席 幾內亞灣 非洲安全與防務夥伴關係

幾內亞灣：非洲新的安全與防務夥伴關係

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/gulf-guinea-new-security-and-defence-partnership-africa_en

2023年12月18日 何塞普·博雷爾，歐盟外交與安全政策高級代表/歐盟委員會副主席

人力資源/副總裁博客 - 在上屆外交事務理事會期間，我們決定發起一項新舉措，支持幾內亞灣四個沿海國家應對來自薩赫勒地區的威脅。 盡管發生了針對烏克蘭的侵略戰爭以及最近與一些薩赫勒國家在軍事政變後麵臨的挑戰，但我們繼續與許多願意作為可靠夥伴與我們合作的非洲國家發展安全和防務合作。

加納

恐怖主義和不安全局勢從薩赫勒地區蔓延到幾內亞灣國家已不再是威脅； 這是現實。 為了限製其影響，歐盟致力於幫助科特迪瓦、貝寧、加納和多哥加強應對北部地區恐怖武裝團體施加壓力的能力。

輕巧靈活的民用和軍用歐盟使命
根據戰略指南針提出的新方法，它將采取輕型、靈活的歐盟特派團的形式，將民用、軍事和反恐專業知識與裝備支持結合起來。 正是在這種背景下，我去年10月前往加納，向該國安全部隊移交了105輛裝甲車。 這項努力將補充我們現有的人道主義和發展合作計劃。

加納

這項新舉措還將補充我們通過 2021 年啟動的海上協調存在 (CMP) 對雅溫得架構區域組織持續提供的海上安全支持。幾內亞灣確實是尼日爾開采石油的重要門戶。 三角洲，以及往返中非和南部非洲的貨物運輸。 目前它正受到海盜和有組織犯罪的威脅。

歐盟在非洲之角地區也很活躍
在非洲之角附近，亞特蘭大行動也發揮著類似的作用。 自 2008 年以來，該組織的行動大幅減少了這條歐洲和非洲重要供應路線上的海盜活動。 在我們慶祝其成立 15 周年之際，該行動將繼續保護海上交通並為這一關鍵地區的海上安全做出貢獻。 去年十月訪問阿曼時，我登上了它的一艘船。 在陸地上，十多年來我們也幫助索馬裏重建安全和國防力量，使索馬裏重新完全掌控自己的安全。 我親眼目睹了 2022 年 9 月開展的工作的規模。

與此同時，我們的伊裏尼海軍任務為地中海的海上安全與穩定做出了貢獻，控製了聯合國對利比亞的武器禁運，而另一個歐盟任務也在幫助該國加強邊境管理並打擊跨境犯罪和恐怖主義。 近期，利比亞要求我們加大這方麵的努力。

在非洲大陸的另一端，德爾加杜角地區遭受叛亂活動困擾的莫桑比克也要求我們幫助其安全部隊應對這一挑戰。 自2021年10月以來，我們一直在訓練莫桑比克武裝部隊，我們的訓練工作得到了歐洲和平基金提供的裝備支持的補充。 我於2022年10月去那裏會見了我們的團隊和國家領導人，並親眼目睹了我們工作的具體成果。

尼日爾軍政府發出敵對信號

我們對幾內亞灣國家作出新的承諾之際，尼日爾軍政府決定撤銷歐盟在該國的防務和安全任務的法律依據，盡管他們提供了有效的支持。 這是非法軍政府推翻民選總統的又一個敵對信號。 最近的曆史表明，驅逐支持改善薩赫勒安全的合作夥伴隻會給恐怖主義和不安全留下更多空間。

最近的曆史表明，驅逐支持改善薩赫勒安全的合作夥伴隻會給恐怖主義和不安全留下更多空間。

在敵對歐洲的外國行為者的慫恿下，該地區的不穩定局勢日益加劇，我們的安全和防務任務在馬裏和中非共和國等國家也遇到了困難。 但是，像科特迪瓦、貝寧、加納、多哥、利比亞、索馬裏或莫桑比克一樣，許多非洲國家願意與歐盟在安全問題上合作，我們準備在未來幾個月內與那些願意在這一領域開展更多工作的國家合作。 想要與我們合作。

持久安全隻能來自經濟社會發展

國防和安全當然不是我們建議發展夥伴關係的唯一領域非洲國家。 我們深知，持久安全隻能來自經濟和社會發展，來自所有人獲得教育、衛生服務、電力等。這就是為什麽我們還在這些領域與非洲大陸國家建立了眾多夥伴關係，特別是 全球門戶計劃的一部分。

Gulf of Guinea: a new security and defence partnership in Africa

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/gulf-guinea-new-security-and-defence-partnership-africa_en

18.12.2023 Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission

HR/VP Blog - During our last Foreign Affairs Council, we decided to launch a new initiative to support four coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea in countering threats stemming from the Sahel. Despite the war of aggression against Ukraine and recent challenges with some Sahel countries after military coups, we continue to develop our security and defence cooperation with many countries in Africa willing to work with us as a reliable partner.

 

The spill over of terrorism and insecurity from the Sahel to the countries of the Gulf of Guinea is not a threat anymore; it is a reality. To limit its impact, the EU is committed to help Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana and Togo reinforce their capabilities to respond to the pressure exerted by terrorist armed groups in their northern regions.

A light and flexible civilian and military EU mission

In line with the new approach proposed in the Strategic Compass, it will take the form of a light and flexible EU Mission, combining civilian, military and counter-terrorism expertise in conjunction with equipment support. It was already in this context that I travelled to Ghana last October and handed over to the country's security forces 105 armoured vehicles. This effort will complement our existing humanitarian and development cooperation programmes.

 

 

 

This new initiative will also complement our ongoing security support at sea to the regional organisation of the Yaoundé Architecture through the Maritime Coordinated Presence (CMP), which started in 2021. The Gulf of Guinea is indeed a vital gateway for shipping oil extracted in the Niger delta, as well as for transporting goods to and from central and southern Africa. It is currently under threat from piracy and organised crime.

EU is also active in the Horn of Africa region

Off the Horn of Africa, Operation Atalanta has a similar role. Since 2008, its action has led to a massive reduction in piracy on this vital supply route for Europe and Africa. As we celebrate its 15th anniversary, the operation continues to protect maritime traffic and contribute to maritime security in this critical area. I was on board of one of its ships last October when I visited Oman. On land, we have also been helping Somalia rebuild its security and defence forces for over ten years so that the country can retake full control of its own security. I witnessed the extent of the work carried out first-hand in September 2022.

In parallel, while our Irini naval mission contributes to maritime security and stability in the Mediterranean, controlling the UN arms embargo to Libya, another EU mission is also helping the country to reinforce border management and fight cross-border crime and terrorism. Recently, Libya has asked us to intensify our efforts in this area.

At the other end of the African continent, Mozambique, which is suffering from insurgency activities in the Cabo Delgado region, has also asked us to help its security forces meet this challenge. Since October 2021, we have been training units of the Mozambican armed forces and our training efforts were complemented by equipment support provided under the European Peace Facility.  I went there in October 2022 to meet our teams and the country's leaders and witness first-hand the concrete results of our work.

An hostile signal of the military junta in Niger

Our new commitment to the Gulf of Guinea countries comes at a time when, in Niger, the military junta has decided to revoke the legal basis for the EU defence and security missions in the country despite the effective support they delivered. This is another hostile signal sent by an illegitimate military junta, which overthrew a democratically elected president. Recent history shows that expelling partner supporting efforts to improve security in Sahel results only in leaving more room for terrorism and insecurity.

 

Recent history shows that expelling partner supporting efforts to improve security in Sahel results only in leaving more room for terrorism and insecurity.

 

Our security and defence missions also encounter difficulties in countries like Mali and Central African Republic against a backdrop of increasing destabilisation in the region, encouraged by foreign actors hostile to Europe. But, like Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Libya, Somalia or Mozambique, many African countries are willing to work with the EU on security issues, and we are ready to do more in this area in coming months with those who are wanting to partner with us.

Lasting security can only come from economic and social development

Defence and security is of course not the only field for partnership that we propose to develop with African countries. We are well aware that lasting security can only come from economic and social development, from access for all to education, health services, electricity, etc. That is why we are also establishing numerous partnerships in these areas with countries on the continent, particularly as part of the Global Gateway initiative.