The European Union (EU) has announced the suspension of its military training missions in Mali, citing security concerns and the involvement of Russia’s Wagner Group.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell confirmed the decision on Monday after a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers.
“We are halting the training missions for the Malian armed forces and national guard. The Sahel remains a priority. We’re not giving up on the Sahel, far from it. We want to commit even more to that region,” Borrell said.
Wagner Group Allegations
Borrell explained that developments in Mali “forced us to see there were not sufficient guarantees on non-interference by the Wagner group,” a Russian private military company accused of carrying out atrocities.
He added that the group is responsible for “very serious events” that have left dozens of people dead in Mali in recent weeks.
France has accused Malian soldiers, supported by Wagner mercenaries, of killing over 200 civilians in Moura last month. Human Rights Watch has since reported that around 300 civilians were executed between March 27 and 31.
Borrell called the Moura operation a “massacre,” stressing:
“We cannot collaborate with reprehensible events. We cannot be training people who are responsible for those kinds of behaviors.”
France and Germany’s Role
The move follows France’s withdrawal of its troops from Mali in February, after nearly a decade of operations against Islamic extremists. Relations with Mali’s ruling junta, which seized power in 2021, deteriorated sharply, leading Paris to end its military presence.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is set to travel to Mali this week for talks with junta leader Assimi Goita and Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.
A German foreign ministry spokesperson said Baerbock’s goal is to “get a precise picture of the political and security situation on the ground” as Berlin considers the future of its deployment.
Germany currently has about 1,100 soldiers serving under the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) and another 300 troops contributing to the EU’s now-suspended training mission.
Path to Civilian Rule
EU foreign ministers also discussed ongoing negotiations by West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS with Mali’s junta to secure an agreement for “an acceptable election” and a return to civilian rule.
