German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants the country to continue to be involved in the West African countries of the Sahel region, which are ruled by the military after coups in them, reported DPA, quoted by BTA.
In view of the terrorist threat, the stabilization of Mali and its neighboring countries, it is important that even after the withdrawal of German forces and the end of the UN mission in Mali, Germany does not turn its back on the region, Scholz stressed.
"For this reason, we cannot and will not turn our backs on this area," the chancellor said during a ceremony honoring the military who were part of the mission in Mali. Scholz said that dialogue with governments in the region must continue, even if it is difficult.
Mali and its neighboring countries - Burkina Faso and Niger - have been ruled by the military after coups and are increasingly turning to Russia. At the end of last year, 12,000 UN peacekeepers had to leave Mali.
Scholz paid tribute to some 20,000 German peacekeepers who served in Mali during the Bundeswehr's 10-year mission there. He thanked them for their service and commitment. Scholz assured that stabilization missions will continue to be the task of the Bundeswehr.
The UN Multilateral Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali marked the end of the Bundeswehr's second major deployment outside Europe since its withdrawal from Afghanistan. This mission was considered one of the most dangerous.
During it, over 200 soldiers from the so-called "blue helmets" died. Among them were two German pilots. In addition, a total of 12 German soldiers were wounded in a suicide attack in 2021. "We will not forget this," Scholz said.
The UN peacekeeping mission did not achieve what it had set out to do, said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. "But it wasn't due to us".
Even if the report from the mission remains controversial, Pistoruis praised the deployment of soldiers and civilian personnel of the Bundeswehr.
In 2012, northern Mali was occupied by separatist rebel groups and Islamist militias. The area was retaken by soldiers under the leadership of former colonial power France.
In 2013, the UN launched its mission in Mali, which aimed to create stability and implement the peace agreement reached between the government and the rebels. In 2021, a military junta seized power and turned its back on France while expanding cooperation with Russia.
Germany's withdrawal from Mali dragged on for months and was complicated by a military coup in neighboring Niger, previously seen as the West's last democratic partner in the Sahel region. The Bundeswehr also maintains an air base there, the future of which is unclear.