EU ambassadors in Brussels have approved the decision to extend the mandate of the EU civilian mission in Armenia’s border regions for another two years - until February 19, 2027, according to Radio Liberty.
The mission's mandate, issued two years ago, remains unchanged. The primary objectives of the observers include reducing the number of incidents in Armenia’s border and conflict-affected areas, minimizing risks for the local population, and supporting the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations on the ground.
According to the draft decision, the mission’s size and composition will remain the same: 165 international and 44 local staff members.
The decision is expected to be formally approved by the foreign ministers of EU member states in the near future.
The EU civilian monitoring mission (EUMA) began its work in Armenia in February 2023 with an initial team of 100 observers. By December, EU foreign ministers decided to more than double the mission’s size, increasing it to 209 observers.
Later, a representative from Canada joined the mission, marking the first time a non-European country participated in EUMA’s work in Armenia.
