Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/2786 of 11 December 2023 launching the European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2023/2786 12.12.2023 COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2023/2786 of 11 December 2023 launching the European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 42(4) and Article 43(2) thereof, Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 of 3 August 2023 on a European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea(1), Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1) On 3 August 2023, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599, which established the European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (the ‘Initiative’) in Benin and in Ghana.

(2) On 25 September 2023, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2023/2066(2), which amended Decision

(CFSP) 2023/1599 and established the Initiative also in Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.

(3) The Initiative comprises a civilian pillar under the strategic command and control of the Civilian Operation Commander, and a military pillar under the strategic command and control of the Military Commander.

(4) On 15 November 2023, the Political and Security Committee agreed that the Operation Plan for the civilian pillar of the Initiative and the Mission Plan for its military pillar should be approved.

(5) Following the recommendations of the Civilian Operation Commander and of the Military Commander, the Initiative should be launched on 11 December 2023.

(6) Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 provides for a financial reference amount for the civilian pillar of the Initiative and a financial reference amount for its military pillar for the six months following the entry into force of that Decision.

Those reference amounts should be revised to cover the duration of the Initiative.

(7) Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8) The Initiative will be conducted in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The Operation Plan for the civilian pillar and the Mission Plan for the military pillar of the European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (the ‘Initiative’) are hereby approved.

(1) OJ L 196, 4.8.2023, p. 25.

(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/2066 of 25 September 2023 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 on a European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (OJ L 238, 27.9.2023, p. 141).

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2786/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 12.12.2023 Article 2 The Initiative shall be launched on 11 December 2023.

Article 3

1. The Civilian Operation Commander is hereby authorised to start the execution of the tasks under the civilian pillar of the Initiative with immediate effect.

2. The Military Commander is hereby authorised to start the execution of the tasks under the military pillar of the Initiative with immediate effect.

Article 4 Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 is amended as follows:

(1) in Article 10, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1. The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the civilian pillar for the period from 3 August 2023to 10 December 2025shall be EUR 7 299 839,82.’;

(2) in Article 15, the following paragraph is added: ‘3. The financial reference amount for the common costs of the military pillar for the period from 11 December 2023 to 10 December 2025 shall be EUR 787 000. The percentage of the reference amount referred to in Article 51(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 shall be 0 % for commitments and 0 % for payments.’.

Article 5 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 11 December 2023.

For the Council The President J. BORRELL FONTELLES 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2786/oj