German Foreign Minister Analena Berbock was on her way to Mali on Monday night, where she is expected to meet with the head of the military junta, as Berlin considers withdrawing German troops from the Sahel.
Her Saturday tour will also take her to neighboring Niger, a key country in the process of redeploying foreign troops operating in the area.
“Talks are planned” with the head of the military junta, Colonel Asimi Goita, and the head of diplomacy of Abdullaye Diop, according to the services of Mrs. Berbok.
“The government in Bamako has lost the confidence of the international community in recent months, especially by delaying the transition to democracy and intensifying military cooperation with Moscow,” the foreign ministry said in a written statement issued before her departure.
In this context, “we are reconsidering” the “German military commitment in the Sahel region”, he added.
In May, members of the Bundestag, the German lower house of parliament, will be asked to decide whether or not the German armed forces will continue to participate in two international missions in Mali.
The fate of the EU training mission was clear yesterday: the head of European diplomacy, Giuseppe Borrell, announced that the training of Mali’s army and national guard would end. However, the EU will remain in the Sahel, expanding its forces in neighboring countries.
The German Armed Forces is participating with 328 members in the European Training Mission (EUTM) and another 1,170 in the so-called Multinational United Nations Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA), which has a total of about 14,000 members, military and police.
Several governments have recently reconsidered their involvement in MINUSMA. Westerners have blamed the presence of mercenaries of the Russian private company Wagner Group, who they say were recruited by the military junta.
In Mali, where the violence of jihadist and paramilitary groups has claimed the lives of thousands since 2012, the army seized power in two coups, in August 2020 and then in May 2021.
German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht visited the country at the weekend, before being followed by Mrs Berbock. They are the highest-ranking European officials to visit Mali since the announcement of the withdrawal of the French anti-jihad force Barhan and the European Special Forces group Takumba in February.
The German foreign minister – who is chairing the G7 this year – is also expected to discuss food security problems, which have been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in countries already plagued by climate change and violence.
“Millions are drowning in famine (…). The Sahel region is a sad example,” Ms Burbock said, calling for “credible co-operation, a decisive fight against terrorism and violence and respect for the fundamental values of the rule of law.” .
Mali and Niger, former French colonies, are among the poorest countries in the world and are suffering from huge increases in food prices.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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