At the meeting Minister J.Olekas pointed out the importance of solidarity and informed of Lithuania's plans to increase its contribution to the operations in the Mediterranean and Africa. "We have taken a decision to increase the number of personnel in Mali in response to France's request to contribute to the operations in Africa after the activation of the mutual assistance clause of the Treaty on the European Union. We will continue contributing to the EU counter-piracy operation ATALANTA off the Somali coast and will increase our input in to the operation for countering illegal migration in the Mediterranean," Minister J.Olekas said.
Last December the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania authorised deployment of up to 40 Lithuanian soldiers to the United Nations stability operation MINUSMA in Mali in 2016. Lithuania contributes an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD) to the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) ATALANTA this year. A 16-strong Lithuanian AVPD protects a World Food programme-chartered vessel transporting humanitarian aid to Somalia from pirates. The Parliament also mandated sending troops to the military EU operation in the Mediterranean.
At the meeting Minister J.Olekas also encouraged EU countries to intensify the support to the EaP countries' participation in the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and to contribute to the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund.
The Strategy for EU Foreign and Security Policy and further EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) were discussed at a lunch with the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs.