BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The EU has decided to establish a civilian European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, Trend reports.
This decision was made at the meeting of the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
The decision stated that the objective of the Mission is to promote stability in the border areas of Armenia, build confidence on the ground, and ensure an environment conducive to EU-backed normalization efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Mission will also contribute to the mediation efforts within the process led by President of the European Council Charles Michel.
EUMA will have an initial mandate of two years and its Operational Headquarters will be in Armenia. The Civilian Operation Commander will be Stefano Tomat, EEAS Managing Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC). A head of mission leading operations on the ground will be appointed in the near future.
On October 17, 2022, the EU Council of Foreign Ministers at its meeting decided to deploy nearly 40 EU observers in Armenia, alongside the border with Azerbaijan, to monitor, analyze, and report on the situation in the South Caucasus. The EU Monitoring Capacity in Armenia (EUMCAP) completed its activities, as agreed in Prague, on 19 December 2022.