Credit:  eutmmali.eu /  The European Union Training Mission Mali  (EUTM) trains soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces.

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The European Union has suspended its training missions in Mali after the military coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.  The two missions training Mali’s army and police as part of international efforts to stabilise Mali and extend the state’s authority are frozen because they were designed to support “the legitimate national authorities,” one EU official was quoted as saying by Reuters  last week.  The EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM) was launched in January 2013 to contribute to the training of the Malian Armed Forces (EUTM Mali). The EU Mali  mission also provides military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force and to national armed forces in the G5 Sahel countries through military advice, training and mentoring.  EUTM has more than 600 soldiers from 28 European countries including EU and non-member states.  In March,  the EU Council of the EU extended EUTM’s mandate until 2024 with an approved budget of €133.7 million for the four-year period. EUTM Mali is part of the EU’s integrated approach to security and development in the Sahel. The mission was established at the request of the Malian Government, to respond to the need to strengthen the capabilities of the Malian Armed Forces, the ultimate goal being a safe and secure environment within Malian borders and a reduction of the threat posed by terrorist groups, according to EUTM.

“The tasks carried out by the mission are under the control of Mali’s legitimate civilian authorities and do not comprise combat operations.”

-European Council of the European Union

Credit:  eutmmali.eu /  The headquarters of the mission are located in Bamako, Mali. The commander of the mission is Brigadier General João Boga Ribeiro. 

The activities of the mission is conducted in close coordination and cooperation with other actors such as the United Nations,  France’s Barkhane operation and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 

West Africa ECOWAS Agrees MALI Civilian Transitional Government To Last One Year   

Credit: ecowas.int/  The Economic Community of West African States, also known as ECOWAS, is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. 

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) welcomed the  release of Mali’s ousted President Keïta and agreed the country’s transitional government is to last only one year.  ECOWAS also demanded elections be held  within 12 months.  The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc  held an extraordinary summit Friday to propose measures to help resolve the escalating political crisis in Mali following a military coup that forced President Keïta to resign August 18.  At the  conclusion of the video summit,  ECOWAS  called on the miliaty junta “to initiate a civil transition immediately” in Mali.  Following the military coup,  ECOWAS  moved to suspend Mali from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies with immediate effect, in accordance with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, until the effective restoration of constitutional order.   ECOWAS further decided to close all land and air borders as well as stop all financial, economic and trade flows and transactions between Member States and Mali, except for basic essentials, drugs and other supplies and equipment for the fight against COVID-19, petroleum products and electricity.  Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, who is the chair of  ECOWAS, said sanctions would be “gradually lifted depending on the implementation” of the bloc’s requests.