The ruling junta in Mali has asked Denmark to withdraw “at once” the hundred or so soldiers who arrived in the country a few days ago to take part in the European special forces group Takuba.
Based in Ménaka in eastern Mali, the Takuba force brings together European special forces from around ten countries: the Netherlands, Estonia, Sweden, Belgium, Czech Republic, Norway, Portugal, Italy and Hungary. It is intended to accompany the Malian soldiers against the jihadists. It was launched in March 2020 at the initiative of France to share the military burden with its European partners.
Denmark announced last week the arrival in Mali of 90 men, mainly elite soldiers and military surgeons, supposed to participate within Takuba in the protection of civilians against jihadists in the so-called Three Borders area (Mali , Burkina Faso, Niger).
The Malian government said on January 24, 2022 in a statement read on national television that “this deployment took place without his consent” and that, therefore, “the Republic of Mali invites the Danish side to immediately withdraw its contingent from the territory”. For its part, Denmark claimed to have received “a clear invitation” for his special forces and tries to “clarify why the Malian regime suddenly asked for their departure”, according to his head of diplomacy. In a statement issued on January 25, Copenhagen also indicated that “the Danish contribution was accepted both by the previous Malian government and, on several occasions, by the current transitional government”.
The reasons for this announcement are to be found in the showdown between the Malian military junta and France and part of the international community. Which intend to see the Malian power keep its commitment namely, to return power to civilians in the near future. Since the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed economic sanctions on Mali on January 9, the junta has been playing a showdown. Mali had already officially requested at the end of December from France the revision of the defense agreements which bind the two countries, a complaint which has so far not aroused an official reaction on the French side.
The request for the withdrawal of the Danish contingent adds another reason for friction between Mali and its partners, while France wonders about the way to follow with a junta which refuses to go to the elections and which has opened its doors to mercenaries of the Russian private company Wagner. The countries engaged in Takuba had protested at the end of December, with other Western countries, against the recourse to Wagner. A Russian presence which risks greatly complicating the action of European forces on the ground.
“There is currently a difficult diplomatic discussion with the transitional government regarding the return of democracy to Mali and the transitional government’s invitation of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group.”
Jeppe Kofod, Danish Foreign Ministerat AFP
“Obviously, in the context of the ECOWAS sanctions, we must not overlook the instrumentalization of this anti-French feeling by the authorities in Bamako who exacerbate nationalism and make France the ideal culprit. Not to mention the instrumentalization of Russia who wants to make his place on the continent”, explained on France24, the Africa specialist Antoine Glazer
A few months before the presidential election in France, and while Russia threatens to invade Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron would have done well without this showdown with the Malian junta. He does not intend to make a hasty decision on a possible withdrawal of Barkhane forces from Mali, while several countries in the region are on the verge of collapse under jihadist pressure.
“The Malian junta has broken its commitments and is increasing its provocations. Wagner’s mercenaries are deployed on Malian territory and a coup d’etat which we condemn has just taken place in Burkina Faso. So, should we give up the fight against terrorism? No, this fight is essential to our security”, declared on January 25, 2022 the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly.