France, Canada and European partners are withdrawing their troops from Mali. They announced this in a joint statement published by the Élysée Palace after consultations in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron said they wanted to remain active in the anti-terrorist mission in the Sahel. Plans are to be drawn up by June 2022 on how to remain present in the region.
The deduction affects the French-led Barkhane and Takuba missions. 14 European countries and Canada are involved in the Barkhane anti-terrorist mission and the Takuba mission. Germany is not one of them. France has been in Mali since 2013 to fight IS and al-Qaeda militias. Operation Barkhane cost France around eight billion euros and 53 soldiers lost their lives. The mission also extends to the Sahel countries of Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
“We remain committed to supporting Mali and its people in their efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability and to combat the terrorist threats in the Sahel region,” the Elysee said in a statement.
A number of armed groups are active in the Sahel region, which stretches south of the Sahara from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. Some have pledged allegiance to the terrorist groups Islamic State (IS) or al-Qaeda. In addition to the anti-terrorist missions, the EU training mission EUTM and the UN stabilization mission Minusma, in which the Bundeswehr is involved with a good 1,350 soldiers, are also underway in Mali. According to French information, a total of around 25,000 soldiers are deployed in the area.
The German military operations are initially not directly affected by the announcement, but Germany is also one of the signatories to the notification. The Bundestag mandate runs until 31 May. The federal government has not yet publicly committed itself to continuing the military engagement.
According to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, the future of the training mission is questionable. “I have to say that I am very skeptical that we will get an extension of the mandate with regard to EUTM,” she said. When participating in the UN mission Minusma, it will depend on whether the German soldiers can continue to be protected. “So far, this has been achieved through French skills. And if that is missing now, then we will urgently have to look for a solution,” said the SPD politician.
Lambrecht named a military hospital and combat helicopters as the future lack of resources. “We could certainly compensate for a hospital in a relatively simple and uncomplicated manner,” she explained. The question of combat helicopters could lead to a “completely changed format” that the Bundestag would have to discuss intensively.
Criticism of the Malian junta
Tensions between those in power in Mali and international partners have increased in recent weeks since the West African country expelled the French ambassador and prevented a Danish contingent from entering the country.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday that the conditions for anti-terrorist operations by French troops in Mali were “clearly” no longer in place. On Monday he referred to the takeover of power two years ago by a junta consisting of “five colonels” who “want to stay in power for another five years”. Elections in the country have been postponed to 2025. You can’t work with these “guys” who hinder any democratic development in the country and are condemned by all neighboring countries.
Le Drian also mentioned the Russian Wagner mercenaries in Mali, another theater of the major conflict with the Kremlin. These 1,000 or so mercenaries were apparently brought into the country to protect the junta, he said.
Katja Keul, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, explained that the military government has “so far not sent any credible signals to return to democracy quickly and is also putting obstacles in the way of French commitment. That is regrettable and now has serious consequences.” Defense Minister Lambrecht also justified her skepticism with the political developments in Mali after the most recent coup. Among other things, the question arises as to whether one can achieve one’s political goals and who one supports and trains.