West Africa’s  Stability Key for Europe’s Security – German Minister

Lindner added as he visited the UN base on the outskirts of Gao in the east of the country: “Decisive for success is that our engagement is supported by the government in Bamako.”

Germany, which has more than 1,100 troops in the country as part of the MINUSMA mission, decided in November to withdraw by May 2024. It has made its continued presence dependent on not being prevented from using reconnaissance drones by the Bamako military government.

German government sources in Berlin said on Thursday that the Malian authorities had on Wednesday authorized three pending flights for medical rescue and for personnel transport in February.

Lindner stressed the German government’s responsibility for its troops involved in one of the UN’s more dangerous missions. “I see it as our duty to seek information regularly and to talk to the troops on the ground,” he said. German soldiers doing duty far from home needed to be sure of support.

During the visit, Lindner was also finding out about the country’s economy. “The financial stability of low-income or developing countries is in jeopardy. This affects the humanitarian situation, social peace and political development,” he said.

This was the reason behind his move to initiate direct talks between G7 finance ministers and African countries at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meeting in Q3, he said.