The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Mali: Bundeswehr is now allowed to fly soldiers in and out

2022-08-18T08:24:18.997Z


Until recently, it was unclear whether the Bundeswehr would be allowed to replace its soldiers in Mali. According to SPIEGEL information, the first machine is now in the air. The quarrels with the government in Bamako are likely to remain.


Enlarge image

Bundeswehr soldiers in Mali in April

Photo: Florian Gaertner / photothek / IMAGO

There is a new twist in the dispute over the exchange of a Bundeswehr contingent in Mali, which has been pending for weeks: the troop exchange is now supposed to take place this Thursday.

DER SPIEGEL learned this from government circles.

Around 1,100 Bundeswehr personnel are currently involved in the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA.

It is intended to ensure stability in the country plagued by terrorist militias.

According to SPIEGEL information, the plane with the returning soldiers left the West African country on Thursday morning.

The arrival of the fresh forces is therefore still pending.

approval on Wednesday evening

On Wednesday evening it still looked as if the soldiers would have to be patient for a while.

The Ministry of Defense had written to the representatives of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag that the flight, which had been canceled last week, might have to be postponed again.

The House of Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) referred to difficulties in implementing a new registration procedure for quota changes: This procedure is bureaucratically complex and poses problems for both the Malian authorities and the administration of the UN mission.

The ministry writes: "It cannot therefore be ruled out that this flight will also have to be postponed again due to the challenges described."

Now things are different.

On Wednesday evening, after the letter was sent to the parliamentarians, the overflight and landing permit from the Malian capital Bamako was received in Berlin, according to SPIEGEL information.

Bullying – or just being overwhelmed?

The federal government recently disagreed as to whether the delays on the part of the Malian government are intentional harassment or an expression of being overwhelmed.

Defense Minister Lambrecht suspended all Bundeswehr reconnaissance operations for the UN mission in Mali last Friday.

The social democrat had only received assurances from Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara the day before that the Bundeswehr was welcome in Mali and could carry out the necessary personnel changes.

Lambrecht's offensive action caused astonishment in the foreign ministry in charge.

Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) is campaigning for the continuation of the mandate despite the difficulties with the Malian military government.

"We want to stay there in the Sahel, in Mali, because the local people need us," Baerbock confirmed recently.

The foreign ministry is concerned that if Germany, as the largest Western provider of troops, withdraws, the entire blue helmet mission will collapse and terrorism will regain the upper hand in Mali.

The mission involves around 13,000 forces.

Germany should not stand there as the gravedigger of a UN mission.

In addition, Baerbock wants to stop the increasing Russian influence in the Sahel with the mission.

In government circles, the difficulties in the coordination between the Malians and the UN mission are emphasized.

Quarrels in the implementation of the Bundeswehr mandate are to be expected in the future as well.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-08-18

You may like

News/Politics 2024-03-12T11:24:56.263Z
News/Politics 2024-02-13T10:42:36.997Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z
News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.