Brussels, 18/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - As all obstacles have now been lifted, the EU Council was able, during its meeting in Brussels on Monday 18 February, to launch the European mission to support the training and re-organisation of the Malian armed forces (EUTM Mali). The conclusions of the European foreign ministers state: “The EUTM will immediately begin providing advice for the Malian armed forces and will make preparations to set up their military training”.
Deployment of the mission, which will be up to 500 strong, should therefore not be behind schedule compared to what was planned in January. The mission's initial mandate is for 15 months and France will be the framework nation. A precursor element of 70 soldiers is already on the spot in order to prepare deployment of the mission from the technical and logistic point of view. On 27 February, it is likely that the number of soldiers will have increased to 105, to be doubled mid-March, said French General Patrick de Rousiers, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, speaking at a press conference.
There will be two parts to the mission, General de Rousiers said, describing the mission as “exalting” and “historic” although not without risk. The first concerns advisory support for the Malian security forces, a task that is expected to begin almost immediately. The second, that of training the Malian troops, should begin early April once European trainers are prepared and deployed on the spot. Twenty member states have undertaken to take part.
Adoption of the decision to launch the mission was not guaranteed at the beginning of the Council meeting. The cause of that uncertainty was to be found just a few kilometres away towards the centre of Brussels, at 16 rue la Loi (the cabinet of the Belgian prime minister). It was in fact only during the morning that the council of ministers of the Kingdom of Belgium took the decision to take part in EUTM Mali, providing the last critical capability that was still lacking before the formal kick-off to the mission could be given, namely two medical evacuation helicopters. (JK/transl.jl)