Bulgaria Terminates Participation in Mali’s EU Training Mission

Bulgaria Terminates Participation in Mali’s EU Training Mission

The Council of Ministers in Bulgaria has made a decision to end the involvement of the Bulgarian Armed Forces in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali).

Previously, Bulgaria’s contribution to the mission included a four-member medical team that provided support to the Mali Security Forces. With this new decree, the participation of these servicemen in the mission will cease.

However, the reasons behind this decision and the potential future implications for both the Bulgarian Armed Forces and the Mali Security Forces were not elucidated in the announcement. This move signals a shift in Bulgaria’s participation in international military training and cooperation.

Mali’s Security Landscape and EU’s Involvement

The European Union, on 11th April, decided to suspend its military training missions in Mali but assured that it would maintain its presence in the Sahel region. The decision was based on the lack of sufficient guarantees on non-interference by the Wagner group, a Russian private military organization alleged to be operating as an armed force in Mali.

This development has raised international concern about the sustainability of the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) and the European Union’s EUTM and EUCAP missions, especially after France initiated its withdrawal from Mali earlier this year.

The Wagner Group Controversy

The notorious Wagner group has been associated with serious incidents leading to the loss of numerous lives in Mali in recent times. Reports of Malian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries allegedly killing over 200 civilians in an operation last month in the Malian village of Moura have raised eyebrows globally.

France, among other countries, has expressed concern over these reports. Russia, however, maintains that it has only supplied what it officially describes as military instructors to Mali and denies any wrongdoing.

Future of International Troops in Mali

Amid this uncertainty, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is scheduled to hold talks with the junta in Mali this week, in a bid to get a clear picture of the political and security situation on the ground.

Germany currently has around 1,100 soldiers deployed as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, and has also contributed approximately 300 troops to the EU military training mission in Mali.

Human Rights Concerns in Mali

Human Rights Watch reported that Malian soldiers and foreign fighters executed 300 civilians between 27 and 31 March in Moura.

The EU foreign policy chief labeled the Moura operation a ‘massacre’ and emphasized that the EU cannot collaborate with those responsible for such reprehensible events. As a result, the bloc will stop military training for troops in the region.

Despite these challenges, the United States remains committed to international efforts to help Mali restore peace and stability throughout its territory. The MINUSMA peacekeeping mission, active since 2013, has been working to restore and maintain Mali’s territorial integrity.

The 2015 Algiers Accord, to which the transition government has committed, provides an opportunity for Mali to regain stability and prosperity. The United States will continue to support Mali in achieving its goals of peace and economic development, recognizing that progress will require a strong commitment from each of the signatory parties to implement their obligations under the Accord.