An EU military mobile training team arrived last week in Benin to share their knowledge of ground – air cooperation with their Benin counterparts. The Benin authorities organised a smooth start by making sure all relevant preconditions were met.

This highly specialized training is a major force enabler for every military. Getting it right is no easy task. The first period of the training in Cotonou is used for a proper common theoretical base. This period guarantees that  the following hands-on training will be safe and effective. It also creates a bond between the two military detachments. The willingness of all participants involved is definitely a good base for further cooperation. The coming period, the training will move to Ouidah and will focus on the practical side.

EU Security and Defence Initiative Gulf of Guinea

The EU SDI GoG aims to empower and assist Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin to strengthen their security and defence capabilities to respond to security threats and to tackle the spillover of insecurity from the Sahel to the West African coastal states. The Initiative is composed of a civilian pillar and a military pillar, that will enable the EU to deliver tailored support to partners based on their identified and formulated needs, providing expertise and modular instruments in a timely manner. The initiative complements other EU activities like the ongoing support to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.