Mali: Criticism of the extension of the Bundeswehr mission

Given the constantly deteriorating security situation in the north and the center of Mali, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has criticized the plans concerning an extension of the Bundeswehr mission in the African state, as announced by the Federal Government today. “Germany is increasingly engaged in military action in Mali, but there is no credible overall concept for the Bundeswehr mission. In addition, the Federal Government still has to find an answer to the question when the Bundeswehr is supposed to leave the conflict region again – and whether Mali’s army will then be able to effectively protect the country on its own,” said Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Africa expert, in Göttingen on Wednesday. “Instead of expanding the military presence in Mali, Germany should focus on a political solution to the Tuareg conflict, which has contributed significantly to the destabilization of northern Mali for decades. Without a credible political solution to this conflict, there will be no security in the long term.”

“The fact that government spokesman Steffen Seibert called the mission in Mali a ‘central task in the scope of Germany’s Africa policy’ is an evidence of incapacity,” Delius criticized. “Undoubtedly, the Minusma-mission is important to oppose Islamic extremism, but it is in no way sufficient to stabilize Mali.” On Wednesday, the Federal Cabinet had decided to extend the Bundeswehr deployment within the framework of the UN peacekeeping mission Minusma. Up to 470 additional German soldiers and eight helicopters – four rescue helicopters and four combat helicopters – will be deployed to the country.

On Tuesday, the outgoing French Minusma commander, Hervé Ladsous, pointed out that the Islamic terrorist groups had succeeded in gaining influence mainly because the political conflicts about control over northern Mali are not being solved. Mali’s government is accused of not trying to take credible steps to secure lasting peace with the Tuareg and the other population groups in the north of the country. “Without commitment towards peace, the Bundeswehr soldiers won’t be able to do much to help stabilize the situation,” said Delius.

Four years ago – on January 11, 2013 – the French military intervention in Mali had begun. It eventually resulted in the Minusma-mission and the French Operation Barkhane. However, the security situation has not improved since then. It was only last Friday that extremists had killed a Malian soldier near Gao – a city in northern Mali where more Bundeswehr soldiers are supposed to be deployed to in the near future. 

Header Photo: UN Photo/Manuel Elias