Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European mission for advising and training the Malian army (EUTM Mali) began the first training sessions for some 668 soldiers on Wednesday 3 April. As France's Operation Serval is gradually preparing a partial withdrawal from Mali, the EU is beginning to give a new face to the international community's intervention in that country, which has been shaken by a multiple-faceted open conflict since early January 2013.
EUTM Mali Commander, French General François Lecointre, has never sought to conceal the magnitude of the challenge before him. Mali's national army must be rebuilt, after having literally collapsed in no time at all when faced by the Islamist push into the northern part of the country. It therefore comes as no surprise that the first beneficiaries of European training, a Malian battalion, will first of all receive the most basic training (on how to handle weapons), spread out over a three-week course.
The EU mission is expected to have 549 personnel, most of them military personnel, including 196 instructors from seven member states - “expected to” being the operative term as, although the mission has indeed now begun, it is not yet complete. Today, 416 Europeans are on the spot, including 105 instructors. Providing symbolic support (with just one Luxembourg national, one Romanian and one Portuguese national) to a heavy French commitment (207), 23 member states in total are taking part. The current shortfall in numbers should be largely made up around 13 April, with the deployment of specialised instructors and Spanish soldiers responsible, alongside a company from the French Army, for protecting the training camp in Koulikoro.
Although there are still several difficulties to be noted, especially at logistical level (vehicles, means of communication and air conditioned tents for the Malian Army), the European mission has been launched as planned, with the aim of finally training 3,000 Malian troops. In several months' time, these troops will be called upon to support French operations in the north of Mali, take over from French troops and ensure secure conditions for the coming elections (possibly to be held in July). The mission's initial mandate lasts 15 months. (JK/transl.jl)