Spain is strengthening security in the Gulf of Guinea as part of a European Union initiative

As part of the European Union Security and Defense Initiative for the Gulf of Guinea (EU SDI GoG), the Air and Space Force's Parachute Engineer Squadron (EZAPAC) is conducting a training program in Ghana on Special Operations Air-Land Integration (SOALI), with the aim of strengthening the African country's Air Force.

EZAPAC personnel are training 30 members of the Special Operations Squadron (SOS) of the Ghanaian Air Force in SOALI tactics, techniques, and procedures.

The primary purpose of this training is to help the growth and development of this unit and to equip its members to plan and execute the missions assigned to them by their military. According to the instructors who have traveled to the African country: "The trainees' progress has been excellent, demonstrating remarkable commitment and steady improvement in acquiring the basic skills necessary for the unit's long-term operational effectiveness."

This deployment reinforces EU's firm commitment to stability in West Africa. The EU's military presence in the region stems from the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) decision, which aims to assist in the development of the Armed Forces of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Benin to help them contain and respond to the pressure exerted by armed terrorist groups in the countries of the region.

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Decision 2023/1599 established this European military cooperation initiative in Africa. Its main objective is to collaborate in the development of Armed Forces capable of containing and responding to the pressure exerted by armed terrorist groups in the West African countries where this cooperation is established: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

Since October 2024, following a planning process at the European level, Spain has actively participated in person in the EUSDI GoG. To date, Spanish military personnel have conducted several training courses in Benin, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. In terms of content, the training has covered different topics, always in accordance with the interests of the Armed Forces of the African countries involved.