(1)

On 1 December 2022, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/2354 (1), which establishes an assistance measure with a financial reference amount of EUR 20 000 000 intended to support the continued deployment of units of the Rwanda Defence Force in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado in order to extend, protect and sustain the territorial and tactical gains they have made so far. This should ensure the security and the protection of the civilian population in Mozambique’s northern provinces and facilitate the return of law enforcement agencies and of other accountable state structures that deliver services for the benefit of the population.

(2)

That financial reference amount allowed the Union to contribute to supporting the deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force in Mozambique for a period of 12 months.

(3)

On 11 September 2023, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy received a request from the Republic of Rwanda for the Union to continue assisting the deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force in Mozambique.

(4)

To address that request, the financial reference amount should be increased by EUR 20 000 000, and the duration of the assistance measure should be increased by sixteen months.

(5)

Decision (CFSP) 2022/2354 should be amended accordingly,

(1)

Article 1(4) is replaced by the following:

(2)

Article 2(1) is replaced by the following:

(3)

In Article 3, paragraph 2, point (g), and paragraph 4 are deleted.