Defense Minister Pistorius in Mali: Inaugural visit under the sign of the withdrawal

Defense Minister Pistorius visited the German soldiers in Mali for the first time. From there they are supposed to withdraw by May 2024 – but the danger is growing that terrorists will gain the upper hand in the country.

“So that’s the darling that’s not allowed out.” With these words on his lips, Boris Pistorius approaches two soldiers. When he says “sweetie”, the minister does not mean one of the Bundeswehr comrades, but the aircraft behind the two – a “Heron” reconnaissance drone. “It doesn’t do as well on the ground as it does in the air,” agrees one of the soldiers, quick-witted. Exactly there – namely in the air – the gray painted drone has not been allowed for months. The bird with the enormous wingspan has not been allowed to leave its cage, the hangar, since shortly before Christmas. Because the military government in Mali forbids the Germans from such flights.

Every day the Bundeswehr soldiers dutifully fill out the papers for the take-off permit – which, however, has not been issued since shortly before Christmas. “It’s very frustrating,” admits Captain Björn, one of the drone operators here in the German camp near the town of Gao in Mali. For those troops who leave the protected camp every day for patrols, the drone is something like the “little protector in the sky” that they are reluctant to do without, the soldier explains.

The banned drone has become something of a symbol of the failed relationship between the Malian military government and international troops. And one of the reasons why the Bundeswehr will leave the country by the end of May 2024. This is also happening at the risk of weakening the UN mission MINUSMA, in which the Bundeswehr is deployed here in Mali – and leaving the country to its fate. “The danger is there. Theoretically. Yes, that’s the way it is,” admitted the German defense minister during his first visit to Gao. “But that’s mainly because we can’t do what we came here to do with our armed forces. And that’s not up to us.”

“Development cooperation continues”

In any case, Pistorius’ inaugural visit was all about the deduction. The putsch government in Mali had already alienated the French from the Germans. And in its search for partners who would join the fight against the terrorists as a replacement for the French, the military regime struck gold with the Russians of all people – specifically, with the notorious Wagner mercenaries. They’re basically camping right outside the gates of the UN camp in Gao – and by the way, they’re allowed to fly their drones. Despite the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Wagner’s presence has apparently not diminished.

This is also one of the reasons why this decade-long mission will irrevocably come to an end at the end of May 2024: “Even if the military engagement ends – development cooperation will continue. We will continue to be on site here,” said the responsible minister, Svenja Schulze calm. The SPD politician traveled to the Sahel in a double pack with her party colleague Pistorius. At the same time, however, it is no secret that Germany is also reducing its involvement in the civilian sector here in Mali in parallel with the withdrawal of troops – albeit not as radically as the Bundeswehr. So is Germany giving up on Mali? Or either the Russian forces or the terrorist militias price?

At least the future of Mali is an issue that the soldiers still on duty are also thinking about. Even if hardly anyone here can or wants to venture a forecast, not even Major Christian: “It’s like in Afghanistan: If a player leaves the country, there is a vacuum. Then you have to see how it fills.”

Hope lies in neighboring Niger

But one thing is certain: instead of Mali, Germany will focus more on neighboring Niger in the future. After the gradual slipping away of its Sahel neighbors, this forms a real anchor of stability in the region, which is as barren as it is plagued by terror. And that gives the Germans the feeling of being really welcome in the country: “Niger is forming a dam against terrorism in this region,” says Nigerien Defense Minister Alkassoum Indattou with confidence – at least to the outside world. Behind closed doors, however, the minister asked the Germans to remain active in Mali because the government in Niamey feared that terrorism could increasingly spill over into their country.

However, the Germans will now only be able to fulfill their wish for a good year. In the camp in Gao, from the beginning of June, a lot will increasingly revolve around the deduction. It is uncertain whether the “Heron” drone will rise again by then. Boris Pistorius wished the two soldiers well when he said goodbye to them in the German camp. He didn’t sound particularly confident.