• EU allocates €10 million in non-lethal support under the European Peace Facility

• Assistance includes command, medical, and deployment equipment for the FARDC

• Measure follows a €20 million package adopted in 2023 for the rapid reaction brigade

The Council of the European Union has approved a new €10 million ($11.52 million at the current rate) assistance measure for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), under the European Peace Facility (EPF). The funding is intended to provide non-lethal military equipment aligned with the operational needs of the Congolese forces, according to the official statement issued by the Council.

The support consists of non-lethal equipment for command and control, deployment conditions, medical support, and surveillance patrols along river borders. The first deliveries are expected before the end of 2026, the Council said.

According to the European institution, this assistance will strengthen the capacity of the Congolese armed forces to carry out their missions to protect civilians and restore state authority, in a security context marked by the continued presence of armed groups in the east of the country.

This decision is the second European support measure for the FARDC. The first, adopted on July 20, 2023, amounted to €20 million to support the 31st rapid reaction brigade based in Kindu. It was implemented in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Defense, which was involved in training the brigade.

That support included non-lethal individual equipment, IED-countering kits, vehicles, radios, and the rehabilitation of the brigade headquarters. The EPF’s monitoring framework also ensured oversight of equipment use and compliance with international human rights standards.