The Foreign Affairs Council decision adopted on Monday 10 February creates the legal basis for the operation to the Central African Republic (CAR). The new military operation, which has been given the name EUFOR RCA, will provide temporary support to secure the area around the capital city, Bangui. It will contribute to existing international efforts to protect the populations most at risk, ensuring that humanitarian aid can reach those who need it. Ministers also discussed the security and humanitarian crisis in CAR, and adopted conclusions.
Also in the Foreign Affairs Council, ministers looked at the EU's Eastern Partnership, and in particular discussed recent events in Ukraine. The Council expressed its concern at the continuing political crisis, and called on all actors to refrain from violence and radical action. The Council expressed the EU's commitment to supporting Ukraine's reform. Ministers also underlined that, on the basis of a new Ukrainian government, the EU would be ready to further assist Ukraine to find a sustainable way out of its difficult economic situation.
