Olaf Solz described the Bundeswehr Gazelle’s training mission in Niger as a success and said that “follow-up” was needed during the German Chancellor’s official visit to the West African country on Monday.
The Bundeswehr (German army) “did extremely well here”, under “difficult conditions”, the head of the German government assured, meeting with the almost 200 members of his country’s armed forces at their base in Tilia, where they train Nigerian soldiers. to counter jihadist action in the area.
He said the German military’s mission in Niger was important as well as dangerous, adding that it considered it to be extended after its mandate expired at the end of 2022.
Nigerian President Mohamed Bazum, for his part, said he would welcome the extension of the German mission, also talking about “successes”.
The 180-member German military is part of the European Union’s wider military training mission.
For Mr. Bazum, the German-Niger military cooperation from 2015 onwards is a “model”, as he noted during a joint press conference with Mr. Soltz in the capital Niamey. Germany, he recalled, “made large investments in infrastructure”, with the construction of “airports and buildings”, while offering “high quality training” that is “appreciated by our army”.
Niger is becoming increasingly important for European forces deployed in the Sahel due to the rapidly deteriorating relations between Western powers and the military junta ruled by neighboring Mali. On Friday, the German lower house of parliament voted in favor of ending Bundeswehr’s participation in the EU training mission in Mali. According to Solz, on the other hand, the German parliament has “already given the green light to the extension” of the mission in Niger, although some dimensions remain to be clarified.
Instability in the Sahel is considered one of the reasons why thousands of people are fleeing the region and trying to immigrate to Europe.
Mr Soltz visited Senegal yesterday Sunday and was due to complete his tour of the continent in South Africa.
Source: Capital
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