Parliament Approves Sending Troops to Central African Republic

Parliament endorsed on February 21 Georgia’s participation in EU’s military mission in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA).

Parliament approved presidential request to send one infantry company of the Georgian armed forces to the mission with 106 votes to 1.

Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council, Irina Imerlishvili, told lawmakers that the mission will start in May and last for six months.

The EU established the mission to provide “temporary support, for a period of up to six months, to help to achieve a secure environment in the Bangui area,” the capital of the country, in order to create the conditions for providing humanitarian aid. France’s Major General Philippe Pontiès is the mission commander.

It is the first time when Georgia will contribute to EU’s operations under the Common Security and Defense Policy. Georgia and EU signed a framework agreement on Georgia’s participation in EU’s crisis management operations in November, 2013.

Georgia currently has 1,560 soldiers in Afghanistan, making the country the fifth largest contributor to the ISAF mission after the U.S.; UK; Germany and Italy.

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