Assistance Measure to the benefit of the Congolese National Navy

This action is funded by the European Peace Facility of the European Union.

Objectives and Challenges

The aim of the assistance measure is to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Congolese Navy in order to enhance its ability to patrol the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of the Congo and conduct operational activities, ultimately reducing the incidence of crime and protecting vessels and maritime resources, as well as coastal populations and their livelihoods.

To achieve this objective, the assistance measure funds the following types of equipment that are not designed to deliver lethal force, as well as the following services, including technical training:

1. Implementation of a resilience plan for patrol vessels, through the provision of naval education training and equipment for specialized workshops, as well as the rehabilitation of maritime operational capabilities;
2. Provision of functional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets for a radio command post, as well as complementary equipment for operation and crisis management rooms;
3. Provision of specialized equipment for visit, boarding, search, and seizure teams, as well as for Navy divers.

Project Overview

On May 4, 2022, the European Union Council approved the concept of a potential assistance measure for the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea, with the primary objective of supporting maritime security activities and anti-piracy efforts led by military actors in the Gulf of Guinea under the auspices of Africa, ultimately aiming to reduce the incidence, duration, and intensity of acts of violence and crime, and to protect maritime vessels as well as coastal populations and their livelihoods.

On September 13, 2024, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy received a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, La Francophonie, and the Congolese Abroad of the Republic of the Congo, asking the Union to assist the Navy in acquiring additional equipment, services, and training essential for strengthening its operational capabilities, in order to increase its ability to patrol the EEZ of the Republic of the Congo and conduct operational activities, including within the framework of the Yaoundé Architecture.