<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Defense Minister Margarita Robles presided this Wednesday, January 28, over the awarding of decorations to members of the ‘Canarias’ XVI Brigade who served on a UN mission in Lebanon and those deployed during the DANA storm in Valencia.</strong></h4> “It is a pleasure to be able to recognize today, in person, the work you do, which, I never tire of saying, is a source of pride for us all,” Robles stated during the ceremony, in which she was accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Amador Enseñat. “Spain is a great country, and it is so, in large part, thanks to you, to your commitment and your professionalism in each and every one of the places or missions in which you participate,” she added. Belonging to the Canary Islands Command, this brigade, the youngest in the Spanish Army, has units deployed at five barracks in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura. Its main missions involve operations both within Spain and abroad, forming its own unit and training foreign military personnel within the European initiative for the Gulf of Guinea. It also participates in cooperative security and preparedness activities. During 2026, according to the Ministry of Defense, the brigade will be the core unit generating the next A/I XXIV and XXV contingents for training in Iraq, where it will contribute the vast majority of the 265 members of the Force Protection Tactical Group and the National Support Element, as well as a significant portion of the support team for the next commander of the mission, Spanish Lieutenant General Ramón Armada. During the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, BRICAN XVI will be integrated into the European Union's force generation cycle (Euro Battle Group). This group represents the EU's main national effort in multinational operational readiness, integrating land, air, and support capabilities from various contributing nations.
