Brussels, 19/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - At a time when France is planning to begin troop withdrawal from Mali to hand responsibility over to the United Nations peacekeeping force, if possible end April, EU foreign ministers will be taking stock, in Luxembourg on Monday, of the EU's overall response to this security, political and humanitarian crisis. They are expected to reiterate the importance that the EU attaches to the elections announced being held this July. Free and transparent elections are a key element of the roadmap for restoring the country's constitutional and democratic order - a cause for considerable concern. The Council conclusions are expected to dwell on this. The situation in Mali and in the Sahel region will also be tackled on Monday evening during a joint dinner between foreign and defence ministers of the EU27 during which General François Lecointre, who heads the EUTM Mali mission, will take stock of the operation underway to train and advise the Malian army.
France's withdrawal will be gradual and will depend on the situation, the French president said on Friday, cited by AFP after a press conference at the Elysée, as they want to be sure that terrorism in Mali is eradicated once and for all. At the president's side was Hailemariam Desalegn, the Ethiopian prime minister and president-in-office of the African Union.
On Thursday, during a debate on Mali and the Sahel region, in the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament, MEPS voiced concern at the fact that the dates for withdrawal of French troops coincided with the electoral process and deployment of the UN mission. They had also insisted that all financial aid pledges should be effectively delivered and called for a comprehensive solution for the Sahel in order to stem the illicit trade in drugs, people and weapons in that region.
Laurent Fabius, France's Foreign Minister, had said that the decision to transform the African-led international support mission in Mali (AFISMA) into a UN peacekeeping mission should be adopted during the third week in April. Some 1,000 French troops would remain in the country to support the stabilisation mission where necessary, especially in order to face up to terrorist operations, he said. (AN/transl.jl)