The temporary suspension of the EU training mission EUTM in Mali does not mean any change for the Austrian army for the time being. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) said on Tuesday that the 72 participating military personnel would initially “remain in the area of operations as usual”.
How and in what form the EU’s engagement in Mali should take place is currently being negotiated, Tanner explains. The consultation and mediation of democratic and moral values is currently underway. “It seems more important to maintain the European Union’s presence in the Sahel in one form or another to maintain the conditions for future stabilization measures,” said Chief of Staff General Robert Brieger.
Peace and stability in Mali is extremely important for Europe. On the one hand, the North African country is an important transit country for African migrants on their way to Europe. On the other hand, if the state were to collapse, Islamists could consolidate their power – and that’s just a border from the Mediterranean. “We are now in command of the EU training mission in Mali and we must be and remain a credible partner as long as we are deployed in this mission,” stressed the defense minister.
Russian mercenaries and mass murders of civilians
The operation, headquartered in Mali’s capital, Bamako, was launched in 2013. It happened at the invitation of the Malian authorities. But the situation has become much more difficult since last year’s most recent coup and intensified cooperation between the incumbent government in Bamako and the Russian army and Russian mercenaries.
Human rights groups suspect mercenaries of the Wagner Company two weeks ago, together with Malian soldiers, a mass murder of civilians in the village of Moura. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch says about 300 civilians have been killed. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Monday there are currently “insufficient guarantees” that Wagner employees will not intervene in the conflict.
Source: Krone
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