Mali: EUTM’s European Mission Terminates

The EUTM (European Union Training Mission) in Mali will not be extended. This is what the EU member states decided: the mandate expires on May 18, 2024. The decision came after talks with local authorities and underscored deteriorating relations with the Malian junta. According to the EU, this is the result of “the evolution of the political and security situation on the ground.”

During its 11 years of presence in Mali, EUTM has contributed to the training of the Malian armed forces and the Joint G5 Force in the Sahel, and has also contributed to the fight against terrorism. The strategic objectives of the mission were: to contribute to improving the capabilities of the Malian armed forces under the political authorities’ control, to support the restoration of state control and the rule of law throughout Mali, to support the G5 Sahel by consolidating and improving the operational capabilities of their joint forces, to strengthen regional cooperation to counter common security threats, in particular terrorism and illicit trafficking, especially human trafficking.

Since 2020, Mali has been ruled by a military junta created by the first of a long series of coups affecting West and Central Africa, including neighboring countries Burkina Faso and Niger.