Status: 09.02.2022 1:45 p.m
The federal government wants to continue German participation in the NATO Mediterranean mission and in the UN mission in South Sudan for a year each. The cabinet approved the extension of the mandates, according to government circles.
The Federal Cabinet has decided to extend two Bundeswehr missions abroad. German participation in the UN mission UNMISS in South Sudan and in the NATO mission “Sea Guardian” in the Mediterranean is to be continued for a year each. The Bundestag still has to approve the extensions.
According to the cabinet decision, the Bundeswehr is to employ up to 50 soldiers to strengthen the UNMISS peacekeeping mission, which is led by the United Nations and is intended to help protect the population, stabilize it and provide access for humanitarian aid in South Sudan. Currently, however, only about a dozen Bundeswehr soldiers are involved in the mission.
NATO counter-terrorism operation in the Mediterranean
The task of the NATO mission “Sea Guardian” is to monitor the sea space in the Mediterranean and to fight terrorism. No Germans are currently taking part directly in the mission – however, according to the Ministry of Defence, Germany is currently taking part in the mission with the frigate “Lübeck”.
The new mandate provides for an upper limit of 550 soldiers, 100 fewer than before. The aim of the NATO mission is to fight terrorism at sea and curb arms smuggling. It also allows ships to be seized and diverted.