Russia already has "hundreds" of mercenaries in Mali, but there was no sign they were using EU-trained Malian soldiers, the EU foreign service has said.
"The presence of mercenaries from the Wagner Group is now confirmed by several sources. We understand that, so far, several hundreds of mercenaries are deployed in Bamako and in the centre of the country," an EU spokesperson told EUobserver on Monday (17 January).
Rerad more at
'Hundreds' of Russian mercenaries in Mali, EU confirms
Showing posts with label Mali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mali. Show all posts
11/3/20
Mali - France relations: 50 Islamic terrorists aligned to Al-Qaeda killed in French airstrike in Mali
Coming as a significant blow to the dreaded Islamic terrorist organisation, over 50 Al-Qaeda linked terrorists have been killed in a French airstrike in Mali. The operation is said to have taken place on October 30 (Friday). The French Army has confiscated arms and ammunitions. Almost 30 motorcycles were destroyed in the offensive.
Read more at: 50 Islamic terrorists aligned to Al-Qaeda killed in French airstrike in Mali
Read more at: 50 Islamic terrorists aligned to Al-Qaeda killed in French airstrike in Mali
4/9/15
Swedish Military - Mali: Hunger rations: Swedish peacekeepers slam small UN-supplied meals in Mali
The Swedish contingency of an international UN-led peacekeeping
operation in Mali is up in arms over the apparent paltry size of food
rations, which, they say, is forcing soldiers to go to bed hungry.
Swedish soldiers told the Dagens Nyheter daily that the UN-supplied food rations of 1,800 kilocalories per person daily is not enough.
“It's insane that in 2015 we should not be getting enough food. It affects the mood. People get cranky and angry when they can't eat until they get full,” one soldier told Dagens Nyheter, The Local reported.
The Swedish soldiers, who arrived in January 2015 and are based close to Timbuktu, believe the rations were intended for the dietary standards for some of the other 39 participating countries, but not for them.
“1,800 calories is perhaps enough for the UN soldiers from Burkina Faso and Bangladesh who are often smaller built, but not for us,” said another Swedish soldier.
Read more: Hunger rations: Swedish peacekeepers slam small UN-supplied meals in Mali — RT News
Swedish soldiers told the Dagens Nyheter daily that the UN-supplied food rations of 1,800 kilocalories per person daily is not enough.
“It's insane that in 2015 we should not be getting enough food. It affects the mood. People get cranky and angry when they can't eat until they get full,” one soldier told Dagens Nyheter, The Local reported.
The Swedish soldiers, who arrived in January 2015 and are based close to Timbuktu, believe the rations were intended for the dietary standards for some of the other 39 participating countries, but not for them.
“1,800 calories is perhaps enough for the UN soldiers from Burkina Faso and Bangladesh who are often smaller built, but not for us,” said another Swedish soldier.
Read more: Hunger rations: Swedish peacekeepers slam small UN-supplied meals in Mali — RT News
4/6/15
The Netherlands: French forces rescue Dutch hostage held in Mali since 2011
French forces have freed a Dutch man held hostage in Mali since 2011
by al Qaeda’s north African arm, the French defence ministry said.
It
said Sjaak Rijke, who was kidnapped in Timbuktu in November 2011, was
freed on Monday during a special operation and had been transferred
“safe and sound” to a temporary base in Tessalit, north-east Mali.
French forces had also killed two militants and captured two others during fighting that took place during the early morning operation, said Lieutenant Colonel Michel Sabatier, a spokesman for Barkhane, the French counter-insurgency operation in the region.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said Rijke was in good condition considering the circumstances and receiving medical treatment under Dutch supervision.
“The liberation of Mr Rijke underscores France’s staunch determination to fight armed terrorist groups in the Sahel region as part of the Barkhane operation,” the French ministry said in a statement.
In November Rijke’s captors, the al Qaeda-affiliated AQIM group, issued a video of him along with French national Serge Lazarevic.
Read more: Africa - French forces rescue Dutch hostage held in Mali since 2011 - France 24
French forces had also killed two militants and captured two others during fighting that took place during the early morning operation, said Lieutenant Colonel Michel Sabatier, a spokesman for Barkhane, the French counter-insurgency operation in the region.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said Rijke was in good condition considering the circumstances and receiving medical treatment under Dutch supervision.
“The liberation of Mr Rijke underscores France’s staunch determination to fight armed terrorist groups in the Sahel region as part of the Barkhane operation,” the French ministry said in a statement.
In November Rijke’s captors, the al Qaeda-affiliated AQIM group, issued a video of him along with French national Serge Lazarevic.
Read more: Africa - French forces rescue Dutch hostage held in Mali since 2011 - France 24
5/30/14
Environment: EU should support local solutions to Sub-Saharan droughts - by Roland Bunch.
As the EU continues work and investment in the conflict-stricken Mali,
supporting locally-evolved and adapted solutions can help solve one of
the sources of violence, food insecurity, writes Roland Bunch.
The road north from Segou, Mali, is a breathtaking experience: few other drives show how fertile farmland gradually turns into forbidding desert. The well-kept highway shoots through the Sahel, offering increasingly dry vistas. Segou’s maize fields are soon replaced by millet, which is more resistant to drought, then by thorny scrub. By the time you cross the Niger River at Timbuktu, you have officially entered the Sahara Desert. Nothing but sand and rock remains.
Today, Mali mostly evokes war. Al Qaeda’s push for southern Mali, stopped by French forces, had at least one effect which its commanders surely did not expect: the outside world has become acutely interested in the western Sahel. Large flows of fresh aid money, including 5 billion from the European Commission, have been pledged.
But as I was driving up that road in late 2011, militant Islamists were the last things on my mind. A drought had hit the country earlier that year – and that wasn’t supposed to happen.
The Sahel used to experience droughts roughly every ten years. There had been one in the mid 1970s, and then a terrible one in 1984-85 (that one prompted Bob Geldof to organise Live Aid). Other droughts came in 1994 and in 2003 – par for the course. But then things speeded up. Drought came in 2005 and 2009. Just two years later, we were experiencing yet another.
Over the centuries, the peoples of the Sahel have evolved complex customs to help them survive these occasional catastrophes. Tradition dictates that people must share their food with the least fortunate. Strict rules govern the use of water. Transgressions are harshly punished.
Read: EU should support local solutions to Sub-Saharan droughts | EurActiv
The road north from Segou, Mali, is a breathtaking experience: few other drives show how fertile farmland gradually turns into forbidding desert. The well-kept highway shoots through the Sahel, offering increasingly dry vistas. Segou’s maize fields are soon replaced by millet, which is more resistant to drought, then by thorny scrub. By the time you cross the Niger River at Timbuktu, you have officially entered the Sahara Desert. Nothing but sand and rock remains.
Today, Mali mostly evokes war. Al Qaeda’s push for southern Mali, stopped by French forces, had at least one effect which its commanders surely did not expect: the outside world has become acutely interested in the western Sahel. Large flows of fresh aid money, including 5 billion from the European Commission, have been pledged.
But as I was driving up that road in late 2011, militant Islamists were the last things on my mind. A drought had hit the country earlier that year – and that wasn’t supposed to happen.
The Sahel used to experience droughts roughly every ten years. There had been one in the mid 1970s, and then a terrible one in 1984-85 (that one prompted Bob Geldof to organise Live Aid). Other droughts came in 1994 and in 2003 – par for the course. But then things speeded up. Drought came in 2005 and 2009. Just two years later, we were experiencing yet another.
Over the centuries, the peoples of the Sahel have evolved complex customs to help them survive these occasional catastrophes. Tradition dictates that people must share their food with the least fortunate. Strict rules govern the use of water. Transgressions are harshly punished.
Read: EU should support local solutions to Sub-Saharan droughts | EurActiv
2/20/14
European Military Cooperation: Will Germany inch away from military restraint?
 |
| European Military Cooperation? |
For 25 years, a 6,000-troop strong German-French military brigade has trudged along, never being sent out in its entirety on a mission, despite pleas to do so from Paris. France has petitioned the German government for many years to provide assistance with military missions in Africa, in particular. But for just as long, Germany has refused - even in clear cases of humanitarian missions. At most, Berlin has sent a few paramedics or military trainers, as is the case now in Mali, or made supplies available.
The last four years have been particularly disappointing for France in terms of military collaboration. While Germany grew more and more economically powerful, the country has taken on less and less under Chancellor Merkel when it comes to foreign and security policy. Her previous foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, even spoke of "a culture of restraint" when it came to military missions and then-defense minister Thomas de Maiziere gruffly countered Paris' calls for more military engagement by saying Germany didn't need any lessons from its partners on that point.
"In France, those in foreign policy and security circles were asking themselves whether Germany is even still able and ready to form alliances," said Stefan Seidendorf of the German-French Institute (dfi) in Ludwigsburg.
It's only against this background that it becomes clear why so many commentators in both countries view
Merkel's comments on German-French cooperation as a turning point in Germany's foreign policy approach. Meanwhile, Germany's newly formed grand coalition government is positioning itself differently than its predecessor.
Read more: Will Germany inch away from military restraint? | Germany | DW.DE | 20.02.2014
1/19/14
Mali: Europe can't leave France on its own in C.Africa: German minister
Europe cannot leave France alone in its bid to restore order in the strife-torn Central African Republic, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in an interview to be published Sunday.
Read more: Europe can't leave France on its own in C.Africa: German minister - Yahoo News
"Europe cannot leave France on its own there," he told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.
It is in Europe's interests to restore order in the country, because "when instability, displacement and terrorism threaten Africa, the consequences will arrive in Europe," he added.
Steinmeier's remarks come as EU foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels Monday to discuss deploying troops to back up French and African soldiers in the landlocked country ripped apart by bloody sectarian clashes.
The German foreign minister also said that the 28-member bloc should consider giving more support to France's deployment in Mali.
Read more: Europe can't leave France on its own in C.Africa: German minister - Yahoo News
5/25/13
Military Aircraft Industry: France to buy American drones for Mali operation
Two of America’s medium-altitude Reaper drones will be sold to France as backup for the country’s operations against Islamist rebels in Mali. The news comes from the ‘Air et Cosmos’ specialist magazine, which reported online that a deal had been reached between France and the United States for the sale of two non-armed MQ-9 units.
The French air force had already deployed a European-made Harfang drone to Mali, with the country now wishing to acquire more modern models quickly, although any purchase of the US Reapers directly from the manufacturer (as was done with Harfang) is expected to delay delivery by seven months.
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is presently on a visit to the US, where he is expected to make the announcement, according to Air et Cosmos. The defense ministry has declined to comment.
Read more: France to buy American drones for Mali operation — RT News
The French air force had already deployed a European-made Harfang drone to Mali, with the country now wishing to acquire more modern models quickly, although any purchase of the US Reapers directly from the manufacturer (as was done with Harfang) is expected to delay delivery by seven months.
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is presently on a visit to the US, where he is expected to make the announcement, according to Air et Cosmos. The defense ministry has declined to comment.
Read more: France to buy American drones for Mali operation — RT News
3/23/13
Terrorism: France confirms death of top al Qaeda leader Abou Zeid
French President François Hollande confirmed Saturday that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a top leader of al Qaeda’s North Africa branch, was killed in a French military operation in northern Mali late last month.
The Algerian-born militant was the leader of one of the most hardline brigades – or katibas – of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The French presidential statement released on Saturday noted that “the end of one of the main leaders of AQIM is a milestone in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel” – referring to the remote transitional zone between the Sahara desert and the African savannah.
Read more: France confirms death of top al Qaeda leader Abou Zeid - MALI - FRANCE 24
The Algerian-born militant was the leader of one of the most hardline brigades – or katibas – of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The French presidential statement released on Saturday noted that “the end of one of the main leaders of AQIM is a milestone in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel” – referring to the remote transitional zone between the Sahara desert and the African savannah.
Read more: France confirms death of top al Qaeda leader Abou Zeid - MALI - FRANCE 24
3/16/13
Mali - France Will Seek U.N. Force to Replace French-Led Coalition - by Rick Gladstone
France has told fellow United Nations Security Council members it intends to introduce a resolution this month that would authorize a peacekeeping force in Mali to replace the current contingents of African and French soldiers deployed in that country, diplomats said Tuesday.
France, which has said publicly it wants to scale down its forces in Mali, plans to schedule a vote on such a resolution in April, with the goal of transferring peacekeeping responsibilities by July, the diplomats said. French forces intervened two months ago in Mali, a former French colony, to stop Islamist militants occupying the northern part of the country from expanding into the south.
Since then, a combination of soldiers from France, Mali and neighboring African countries has helped drive the militants out of northern Malian cities deep into the hinterlands, but they remain a threat. The exact size of a United Nations peacekeeping force for Mali has yet to be determined, but France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, was quoted by Agence France-Presse as telling lawmakers in Paris it could be as many as 10,000 soldiers.
Read more: Mali - France Will Seek U.N. Force to Replace French-Led Coalition - NYTimes.com
France, which has said publicly it wants to scale down its forces in Mali, plans to schedule a vote on such a resolution in April, with the goal of transferring peacekeeping responsibilities by July, the diplomats said. French forces intervened two months ago in Mali, a former French colony, to stop Islamist militants occupying the northern part of the country from expanding into the south.
Since then, a combination of soldiers from France, Mali and neighboring African countries has helped drive the militants out of northern Malian cities deep into the hinterlands, but they remain a threat. The exact size of a United Nations peacekeeping force for Mali has yet to be determined, but France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, was quoted by Agence France-Presse as telling lawmakers in Paris it could be as many as 10,000 soldiers.
Read more: Mali - France Will Seek U.N. Force to Replace French-Led Coalition - NYTimes.com
3/11/13
Mali: German military has long experience in Mali
The planned non-combative mission by the German Bundeswehr will not be the first of its kind. Since 2005, German soldiers have trained Malian engineers and Germany has donated large amounts of military hardware.
France's role as an armed ally is now gradually to be taken over by soldiers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). At the same time the European Union is planning to train the Malian army in order to increase its effectiveness. In this, the EU can draw on the German armed forces' many years of experience. German soldiers have been active in Mali for some time but few people in Germany are aware of this.
Read German military has long experience in Mali | Africa | DW.DE | 27.02.2013
Mali: French Intervention Hits Drug Running
France's surprise intervention against Islamist fighters involved in lucrative drug-running in northern Mali has disrupted cocaine supply to Europe, analysts have said.
Poverty and the lack of government presence in the vast desert has provided an ideal ground for smugglers.
Typically, the drugs are shipped to the Gulf of Guinea or flown in directly from countries including Venezuela into Mauritania or Mali, where they are stored and eventually taken overland to the Mediterranean's southern shores.
The route is known as "Highway 10" in reference to the 10th parallel, a line of latitude which cuts through Colombia and Venezuela at one end, Guinea and Nigeria at the other and just misses Mali.
Read more: Mali: French Intervention Hits Drug Running
3/8/13
French minister of defence on surprise visit to Mali
French Minister of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived Thursday on a surprise visit to the mountains of northern Mali, where French troops have been tracking Islamist fighters who are thought to be holding foreign hostages.
Le Drian came to show support for the mission and pay homage to the two paratroopers recently killed in the Ifoghas mountain range. A total of four French soldiers have died since France launched its Mali operations on January 11.
"The mission is not over,” Le Drian told FRANCE 24’s Matthieu Mabin. “The combat has been carried out very well so far, but we still need to restore Mali's territorial integrity, until Mali is freed."
Read more: French minister of defence on surprise visit to Mali - FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - FRANCE 24
Le Drian came to show support for the mission and pay homage to the two paratroopers recently killed in the Ifoghas mountain range. A total of four French soldiers have died since France launched its Mali operations on January 11.
"The mission is not over,” Le Drian told FRANCE 24’s Matthieu Mabin. “The combat has been carried out very well so far, but we still need to restore Mali's territorial integrity, until Mali is freed."
Read more: French minister of defence on surprise visit to Mali - FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - FRANCE 24
2/28/13
France, UK appear headed for about-face on campaigns in Africa
Not long after France sent soldiers to Mali to prevent what was becoming a militant Islamist rout of that country's forces, the talk in London was of a "new front in the war on terror" in North Africa, led by the United Kingdom and Europe taking the place of an increasingly hesitant United States.
But a month later, such talk seems like so much political posturing and wishful thinking.
As John Kerry, the new US secretary of state, holds talks with Britain's prime minister, David Cameron, on the first stop of a nine-day trip through Europe and the Middle East, it is clear that the capacity for sustained military involvement by the United Kingdom and France is sharply limited, not least because the public's perception of the threat posed by recent events in North Africa is not dire enough to sustain such engagement.
The predictions were very different at the end of January when Mr Cameron made the first visit by a British prime minister to post-independence Algeria, promising to improve security coordination in the wake of the deadly attack by gunmen on the Ain Aminas oil and gas field where hundreds of hostages were taken by an Islamist gang claiming affiliation with Al Qaeda.
Read more: France, UK appear headed for about-face on campaigns in Africa - The National
But a month later, such talk seems like so much political posturing and wishful thinking.
As John Kerry, the new US secretary of state, holds talks with Britain's prime minister, David Cameron, on the first stop of a nine-day trip through Europe and the Middle East, it is clear that the capacity for sustained military involvement by the United Kingdom and France is sharply limited, not least because the public's perception of the threat posed by recent events in North Africa is not dire enough to sustain such engagement.
The predictions were very different at the end of January when Mr Cameron made the first visit by a British prime minister to post-independence Algeria, promising to improve security coordination in the wake of the deadly attack by gunmen on the Ain Aminas oil and gas field where hundreds of hostages were taken by an Islamist gang claiming affiliation with Al Qaeda.
Read more: France, UK appear headed for about-face on campaigns in Africa - The National
2/18/13
War in Mali: France in Africa – Fifth Republic or Third Empire? - by Dmitry Minin
Paris has its own history of meddling into affairs of former French West African colonies, Cote D’Ivoire, for instance. The black continent (Libya, Mali) interventions have increased in scale and have become more frequent. It has given a rise to talks about the revival of French colonial policy.
Being a leading force at the time of Libyan intervention, Paris moved East with a goal to expand its traditional clout in North Africa. It has not even taken into account the interests of its close NATO ally – Italy. Berlusconi put it straight saying the goal of France was the control over Libyan hydrocarbons and squeezing away all other competitors.
Actually France has refused the course that had been promulgated not so long before calling for comprehensive EU policies to facilitate the regional stabilization and development. The concept of Euro – Mediterranean partnership with Italy and Spain has gradually been fading away from foreign policy priorities list. The situation is rapidly changing, and the impression is that the French elite has decided its hour of triumph is here at hand, the time has come to rejoin the big league of world powers. There is a great temptation to get back from the Fifth Republic to the Third Empire. The France-established post-colonial order creates some ground for such vision. In the 1960s metropolitan France concluded agreements with some former colonies making 14 African states stay in the French franc zone established in 1946. It closely tied their economies to France, even after joining the Eurozone later. Besides, according to the agreements in question France has a right to intervene militarily to maintain and restore internal stability and provide for security of Europeans living in Senegal, the Central African Republic, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon and Cameroon.
Read more: War in Mali: France in Africa – Fifth Republic or Third Empire? | Global Research
Being a leading force at the time of Libyan intervention, Paris moved East with a goal to expand its traditional clout in North Africa. It has not even taken into account the interests of its close NATO ally – Italy. Berlusconi put it straight saying the goal of France was the control over Libyan hydrocarbons and squeezing away all other competitors.
Actually France has refused the course that had been promulgated not so long before calling for comprehensive EU policies to facilitate the regional stabilization and development. The concept of Euro – Mediterranean partnership with Italy and Spain has gradually been fading away from foreign policy priorities list. The situation is rapidly changing, and the impression is that the French elite has decided its hour of triumph is here at hand, the time has come to rejoin the big league of world powers. There is a great temptation to get back from the Fifth Republic to the Third Empire. The France-established post-colonial order creates some ground for such vision. In the 1960s metropolitan France concluded agreements with some former colonies making 14 African states stay in the French franc zone established in 1946. It closely tied their economies to France, even after joining the Eurozone later. Besides, according to the agreements in question France has a right to intervene militarily to maintain and restore internal stability and provide for security of Europeans living in Senegal, the Central African Republic, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon and Cameroon.
Read more: War in Mali: France in Africa – Fifth Republic or Third Empire? | Global Research
2/11/13
Mali: New explosion rocks Gao in wake of street battles
A fresh explosion rocked the largest northern Malian city of Gao early Monday following street battles between Islamists and French and Malian troops. MUJAO Islamists have claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in the city in recent days.
Sunday's attack by Islamist gunmen on territory reclaimed by French-led forces was the first large-scale urban guerrilla assault of the conflict.
It started early in the afternoon when Malian soldiers clashed with Islamists in the city centre, near an empty police station which the rebels had used as their base until being driven from the city last month.
Residents ran for cover as Kalashnikov bullets and 14.5-millimetre rounds pierced the air.
One witness said that after a fierce gunbattle, French troops had intervened. He reported seeing one body, which he thought was probably a civilian caught in the crossfire.
Rocket-propelled grenade explosions and fire from heavy machine guns and light weapons resounded late into the afternoon before dying down in the evening, when a power cut plunged the city into darkness.
Read more: New explosion rocks Gao in wake of street battles - MALI - FRANCE 24
Sunday's attack by Islamist gunmen on territory reclaimed by French-led forces was the first large-scale urban guerrilla assault of the conflict.
It started early in the afternoon when Malian soldiers clashed with Islamists in the city centre, near an empty police station which the rebels had used as their base until being driven from the city last month.
Residents ran for cover as Kalashnikov bullets and 14.5-millimetre rounds pierced the air.
One witness said that after a fierce gunbattle, French troops had intervened. He reported seeing one body, which he thought was probably a civilian caught in the crossfire.
Rocket-propelled grenade explosions and fire from heavy machine guns and light weapons resounded late into the afternoon before dying down in the evening, when a power cut plunged the city into darkness.
Read more: New explosion rocks Gao in wake of street battles - MALI - FRANCE 24
2/9/13
Mali: French troops push Mali offensive to Algerian border
French combat troops, guided by Malian soldiers, arrived Friday to the town of Tessalit near the Malian border with Algeria as they continue to track retreating Islamist fighters hiding in the vast desert region.
French forces on Friday arrived in the town of Tessalit, a town deep in northern Mali near the border with Algeria, and one of the last strongholds of Islamist rebels who wielded unchecked power in the region less than a month ago.
Tessalit’s airport has now become the most distant combat outposts in the joint French-Malian effort to re-establish total control of northern Mali.
With a base of operation now established in Tessalit, French soldiers are now busy setting up a vast surveillance operation to track Islamist fighters who are still hiding in this expansive and harsh region.
Read more: French troops push Mali offensive to Algerian border - FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - FRANCE 24
French forces on Friday arrived in the town of Tessalit, a town deep in northern Mali near the border with Algeria, and one of the last strongholds of Islamist rebels who wielded unchecked power in the region less than a month ago.
Tessalit’s airport has now become the most distant combat outposts in the joint French-Malian effort to re-establish total control of northern Mali.
With a base of operation now established in Tessalit, French soldiers are now busy setting up a vast surveillance operation to track Islamist fighters who are still hiding in this expansive and harsh region.
Read more: French troops push Mali offensive to Algerian border - FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - FRANCE 24
2/4/13
Biden hails Hollande’s ‘decisiveness’ on Mali
US Vice President Joe Biden on Monday held talks with French President François Hollande on what he called a “global agenda” of issues, including France's military intervention in Mali, economic matters, conflict in Syria, and Iran's nuclear ambitions.
At a press conference following their lunch, the two hailed the strength of the French-American alliance and expressed broad agreement on the spectrum of complex questions they discussed.
According to Douglas Herbert, FRANCE 24’s international affairs editor, Biden’s visit is significant because “it comes at a time when the US is shifting its emphasis to Asia” -- and away from Europe. Biden’s visit serves as a reminder that “Europe remains America’s oldest, closest ally, and the European-American relationship is sort of the bedrock of global relations”, Herbert noted.
Biden and Hollande also addressed the economy, with the US vice president appearing especially keen to emphasise the stakes of European economic well-being for America.
“Europe is our largest economic partner, so the US has a profound interest in Europe’s success and in Europe securing the foundations of its monetary union,” Biden noted. “It is overwhelmingly in our naked self-interest.”
Biden took the opportunity to urge other European countries to “be more inclined to share our view….that there is nothing inconsistent with getting our long-term debt in control and generating economic growth”.
Read more: Biden hails Hollande’s ‘decisiveness’ on Mali - FRANCE - FRANCE 24
At a press conference following their lunch, the two hailed the strength of the French-American alliance and expressed broad agreement on the spectrum of complex questions they discussed.
According to Douglas Herbert, FRANCE 24’s international affairs editor, Biden’s visit is significant because “it comes at a time when the US is shifting its emphasis to Asia” -- and away from Europe. Biden’s visit serves as a reminder that “Europe remains America’s oldest, closest ally, and the European-American relationship is sort of the bedrock of global relations”, Herbert noted.
Biden and Hollande also addressed the economy, with the US vice president appearing especially keen to emphasise the stakes of European economic well-being for America.
“Europe is our largest economic partner, so the US has a profound interest in Europe’s success and in Europe securing the foundations of its monetary union,” Biden noted. “It is overwhelmingly in our naked self-interest.”
Biden took the opportunity to urge other European countries to “be more inclined to share our view….that there is nothing inconsistent with getting our long-term debt in control and generating economic growth”.
Read more: Biden hails Hollande’s ‘decisiveness’ on Mali - FRANCE - FRANCE 24
1/30/13
Mali: French Forces Pressing Mali Campaign Seize Rebel Stronghold - by Rick Gladstone and Alan Cowell
French troops took control overnight of the airport of the last major northern Mali town still in rebel hands, officials said on Wednesday, after Islamist militants abandoned two other principal settlements in the vast, desert region where residents’ relief and elation has given way to some measure of reprisal and frustration. French troops took control overnight of the airport of the last major northern Mali town still in rebel hands, officials said on Wednesday, after Islamist militants abandoned two other principal settlements in the vast, desert region where residents’ relief and elation has given way to some measure of reprisal and frustration.
Read more: French Forces Pressing Mali Campaign Seize Rebel Stronghold - NYTimes.com
A French military spokesman in Paris, Col. Thierry Burkhard, said French troops reached the airport of Kidal, in the remote northeast of Mali, in an operation that is continuing.
Haminy Maiga, a local official, told news agencies that French forces met no resistance when they arrived aboard four airplanes that landed late on Tuesday without encountering resistance. France also sent helicopters, he said.
Kidal is the capital of a desert region of the same name. Secular Tuareg rebels claim to be in control of the town after Islamists fled. A newly formed Islamist splinter group that broke with the main Ansar Dine Islamist force also claims to have a power base there.
Read more: French Forces Pressing Mali Campaign Seize Rebel Stronghold - NYTimes.com
Mali: German Foreign Minister Westerwelle Welcomes Political Roadmap
German Foreign Minister Westerwelle has welcomed the political road map produced by the Malian Government. Speaking in Berlin on January 28, he called it a good basis for international assistance. He said that the road map, which provides for a return to constitutional order, now had to be quickly passed by the Malian Parliament.
Read more: German Missions in the United States - Political Roadmap for Mali
The Government of Mali adopted the road map on January 25, after several calls from the international community to put such a plan in place as a prerequisite for further assistance. In the long term, Westerwelle said, only a political solution would be effective.
He said that the states of Africa, the Malian Government and France all shared that view. Pointing to the road map as a good basis for the search for such a solution, Minister Westerwelle affirmed that “the necessary military operations, which are increasingly led by Africans themselves, must now be coordinated with the political efforts.”
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