France and several of its European and African allies officially formed the Task Force Takuba on Friday, made up of European special forces which will fight alongside the Malian and Nigerian armies in the Sahel.
Defense ministers and representatives from 13 countries - Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Mali, Niger, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal - following an audio conference, due to the coronavirus epidemic , The United Kingdom, Sweden and the Czech Republic - have adopted a political declaration in which they pledge to redouble their efforts to overcome "the resilience of terrorist groups".
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"A robust integrated approach is needed to reverse the current negative trends and address the root causes of instability in Mali and the Sahel region , " said the ministers in their statement. "Strengthening security creates the conditions necessary for the development of Mali, the improvement of governance and respect for the rule of law, which are, in turn, necessary to achieve lasting peace."
Announced for several months, the Task Force Takuba should be made up of 500 members of the European special forces, including a hundred French in addition to the elements already engaged in the Saber force. Placed under the command of Operation Barkhane, it will operate mainly in the Malian region of Liptako, the ministers said in a joint statement.
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In addition to France, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands and Portugal have confirmed their participation in Takuba. Sweden has also expressed interest, subject to the consent of its Parliament. Takuba is expected to reach its initial operational capacity in the summer of 2020 and its full operational capacity in early 2021, said the political statement. "It will play a key role in the rapid empowerment of the local armed forces," said the ministers.