A team of Spanish military trainers from the ‘Canarias’ XVI Brigade instructs the Benin Republican Police

• As part of a European Common Security and Defence Policy project, Spain has launched a new course on countering improvised explosive devices in the African country

A Mobile Training Team (MTT), consisting of five military instructors from the Engineer Battalion of the XVI 'Canarias' Brigade of the Army, gives a course on countering improvised explosive devices (C-IEDs) in Porto Novo, the capital of Benin.

This is the second course held by Spain in this African country within the framework of the EU Security and Defence Initiative in Support of West African Countries of the Gulf of Guinea (EU SDI GoG). The first one, also with military instructors from the XVI Brigade of 'Canarias', was the Basic Optical and Atomic Material Maintenance Course, which took place in October 2024. 

The two-week C-IED course started on 27 January. It will be taught to 15 members of the Benin Republican Police, who will thus be better trained to combat any threat, and in particular the jihadist terrorism that threatens the north of the country.

Spanish participation in the EU's Security and Defence Initiative

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Decision 2023/1599 established the EU SDI GoG, whose main objective is to upgrade the capabilities of the security and defence forces of Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin to enable them to autonomously improve the stability and resilience of their northern border areas, in particular in the face of the threat of jihadist terrorism.

In this context, Benin asked the EU in June 2024 for a series of assistance measures for its armed forces. Among the various proposals, Spain undertook to provide training in various areas of security and defence.

The Gulf of Guinea is a priority area of interest for the European Union, and in particular for Spain, which shares an agenda with other European countries such as France, Belgium and Portugal. By participating in this initiative, Spain is demonstrating its commitment to the stability, security and development of this African region.