EU agrees mission to train Mali army, funds for Africa force

(BRUSSELS) - EU foreign ministers agreed Thursday to send military trainers for Mali's embattled army while funding an African-led intervention force and offering fresh help to France to fend off an Islamist rebel offensive.

"All the countries expressed their solidarity with Mali and support for France," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said at the close of emergency European Union talks on the Mali crisis.

Fabius said many of France's partners were ready to offer fresh logistical and material support, possibly including troops, to back efforts by French, Malian and African forces to rout Islamists occupying Mali's vast northern reaches.

Some were mulling "an offer of troops," although "we won't force anyone," he added.

"We were united in welcoming the quick response of France" last week in stopping the rebels' threatened march on the Malian capital, Bamako, said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

"Many countries said they were very willing to help and to support France in every way, and they did not rule in or rule out any aspect of that, including military support," Ashton added.

"What is happening in Mali represents a global menace," said Mali's Foreign Minister Tieman Coulibaly, who joined the talks.

The around 500-strong EU military training mission, which will have no combat role, will provide instruction to the Malian army on command and control, logistics, civilian protection and humanitarian law.

A small EU team led by the mission commander, French General Francois Lecointre, will head to Mali this weekend to prepare for the first of the trainers to arrive around mid-February.

"The threat of jihadist terrorism is something that should be a matter of great concern to all of us," said Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans.

"Not one European nation can hide. There must be solidarity," he said a day after Germany and Italy joined Britain, Belgium and Denmark in contributing to military efforts by France and West African nations to keep Mali intact.

The ministers also pledged "swift financial assistance" and logistical support for an African-led intervention force approved by the UN, AFISMA, which is currently being set up.

The 3,300-strong force is in need of up to 200 million euros ($265 million) and the United States, Canada and other nations are expected to pick up a substantial part of the tab. Diplomats said the EU might contribute around a quarter of the sum.

Plans to set up the EU training mission (EUTM) began months ago but were accelerated following France's launch of a ground and air offensive.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the EU trainers were "an important EU contribution to re-establishing stability in Mali" and that Germany would be among the dozen-odd nations willing so far to participate.

But he added: "In the longer-term there can't be a European solution. African forces and the Malian army will have to take charge."

Original plans for the EU mission, given a 15-month mandate at a cost of some 12 million euros, have been radically upset by the Islamist offensive and French response.

"The situation has changed but the mission must go ahead. There's still a need for an efficient army that's under civilian control," an EU official said.

The EU mission will have no combat role and no mentoring role, unlike trainers in Afghanistan.

Many of the 200 trainers to be sent to the former French colony are expected to be French, but Spain may send 40 to 50, while Poland and Belgium too have confirmed they will take part.

The EU ministers told their Malian counterpart that the 27-nation bloc would increase humanitarian aid to help the up to half a million Malians displaced by the conflict.

Almost 250 million euros of EU economic aid could also be made available on condition the Malian authorities sped up efforts to organise elections and re-establish democracy. The aid was suspended after a coup in March last year.

The role of the EU military mission 
to help Mali's army

Press release - 3217th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting - Brussels, 17 January 2013 (Provisional version)