BELGRADE – EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, in a letter to First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dačić, thanked Serbia on participation in peacekeeping missions of the EU, announced yesterday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.
“Serbia has become one of the most active and most regular partners in the field of common security and defense policy, since in June 2011 the EU signed a Framework Agreement on participation”, the letter said.
Mogherini said that the process of forming unit for EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) has been completed and that the mission is launched.
Serbia has offered to send experts to take over the duties of the medical team EUTM RCA, which confirmed its continued involvement in the Central African Republic, as well as training missions of the EU, she stated.
“Following the positive recommendation of the Mission Commander and the EU Military Committee, I am pleased to confirm that the Political and Security Committee of the EU formally accept Serbia’s offer as a significant contribution to the Mission”, said the High Representative of the Union.
She added that Serbia’s participation in EUTM RCA will be covered by the provisions of the Agreement on a framework for Serbia’s participation in EU operations for crisis management signed on 8 June 2011, and as a significant contributor, Serbia will be exempted from the contribution to the common costs of EUTM RCA in accordance with Article 12.3 the aforementioned agreement.
“I can only welcome the high quality of our cooperation and consultations in the field of common security and defense policy, as well as their further development”, concluded Mogherini in a letter to Dačić.
Serbia is currently participating in the EU operation in Somalia, Mali and the Central African Republic.
Serbian Army began it’s involvement in EUTM RCA on December 15 2016, by sending a level 1 team of four and team of two for emergency medical care, and has participated in the previous consultative operation EUMAM RCA with four members of the medical team.
Serbia is the eighth largest contributor to peacekeeping missions in Europe and the largest in the Western Balkans.
In 2015, the 670 members of the Serbian military participated in peacekeeping missions and operations around the world, and 18 members of the Army of Serbia are currently engaged in EU operations, Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.