Chancellor Merkel’s visit to Mali (October 10/11.10)

Shortly before Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Mali, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has called for more political commitment to peace in the West African state and for a coherent concept for the Bundeswehr’s mission there. “Shaking hands with soldiers can not make up for a concept to stabilize the country in the long run and to secure peace,” stated Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Africa-expert, in Göttingen on Friday. Germany is increasingly engaged in military activities in Mali. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen is even considering sending German helicopters when the Netherlands withdraw their helicopters at the beginning of 2017. “Currently, we are still waiting for a tangible résumé of the commitment so far, and for plans on how to bring the operation to an end again.”

Current figures show that the mission in Mali is becoming increasingly dangerous. The security situation in the north and in the center of the country has deteriorated considerably during the past months. On average, the UN soldiers and Malian troops have been attacked every day and a half since the beginning of summer 2016. There have been 29 attacks against the UN’s MINUSMA peacekeeping forces since June 20, in which 15 soldiers got killed and 37 were injured. Mali’s soldiers were attacked 43 times during this period. Here, 58 soldiers got killed and 83 were injured. All in all, the MINUSMA mission – in which Germany is involved with 432 soldiers, military experts, and police officers – can be seen as the most dangerous mission in UN history. 108 people involved in the MINUSMA mission have lost their lives since beginning of the mission in July 2013.

Most attacks are committed by Islamist extremists. Mali’s army appears to be helpless, and it is uncertain whether it will ever be able to defend the country on its own. After Islamists had occupied a whole city, Defense Minister Tiéman Hubert Coulibaly was removed from office on September 3. “The question is how effective the EU Training Mission (EUTM) – in which the Bundeswehr is involved as well – can be. Meanwhile, almost every Malian soldier has been through training, but the army still seems to be unable to protect the people,” said Delius.

In the multinational state, the Tuareg and the Peulh are especially disadvantaged. Since the early nineties, there have been several armed revolts, especially by the Tuareg, who are also divided among themselves. In recent months, the security situation in the Peulh-inhabited regions in the center of the country has escalated as well, as more and more Peulh decided to take up arms against the government. The constant clashes and Islamist attacks have led to an economic crisis, and criminal gangs are gaining influence. The situation of the civilian population is bad. About 180,000 children are suffering from malnutrition. The government and Tuareg groups settled a peace agreement in June 2015, but it is being implemented very slowly.

Header photo: The White House/Wikimedia Commons