The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. According to the United Nations, about 12.9 million people are affected by the crisis in Mali, with 6.8 million in need of humanitarian assistance. Operation Serval (French: Opération Serval) was a French military operation in Mali. Like the 2012 coup that paved the way for the 2013 French invasion, the 2020 coup started in the Kita army base. The UK deployment in Mali has been quietly increasing. The UK Government’s decision to deploy an additional 250 soldiers to join the United Nations mission in Mali (known as MINUSMA) might be in Britain’s security interests. UK Mali mission with UN to be scaled back to avoid casualties 'The choice is simple' BRITAIN'S mission to combat Islamist extremism in West Africa is … British troops will reinforce our development and diplomatic work, to maximise our impact on the ground. According to the Ministry of Defence there many short-term military teams training security forces to respond “appropriately and proportionally” to security threats, terrorism, violations of human rights, wildlife preservation and emerging humanitarian crises. This is the largest real terms increase in 30 years, confirming that the ruling elite are stepping up their military preparations in pursuit of their geo-strategic aims. The crisis in Mali is associated with recent events in Libya in which the United Kingdom was a principal protagonist. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Chief of Defence Staff speech RUSI Annual lecture, COVID Support Force: the MOD’s continued contribution to the coronavirus response, Defence Secretary's speech on defence reform, Protecting the UK and promoting a Global Britain, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Transparency and freedom of information releases. According to the Ministry of Defence, their main task is to mount reconnaissance operations around Gao where several Islamist groups, including various al-Qaida affiliates under the banner of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and a rival Isis affiliate, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, are active. March 16, 2020. A s the UK prepares to deploy troops as part of the UN mission to fight violent extremism in Mali (Minusma), politicians and defence commentators insist this is not another Iraq or Afghanistan. The Sahel is one of Africa’s poorest and most fragile regions. That exercise included special forces troops from Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria that conducted a raid on a village to “take out” an unspecified group of extremists. Britain's contribution directly in support of France has been in air capabilities, lift and surveill… General Ibrahim Dahirou Dembélé, who has been decorated for his services to French national security, was again one of its leaders. And Britain is fortunate that in the case of Mali, France, for reasons of association and history, has taken the major lead. Mali exposed and revealed what I call ‘counter-insurgency politics’. BRITISH troops due to spearhead a new force in war-torn Mali are to stay inside their base over fears it is too dangerous. It is in all our interests that we work together to protect civilians and help build a safer, healthier and more prosperous future for the region. They will be based in the newly formed Camp Bagnold, which is named after Brigadier Ralph Alger Bagnold, the desert explorer and first Commanding Officer of the British Army’s “Long Range Desert Group.”. Around 300 British troops have arrived in the west African country of Mali. Going by various pronouncements, by the UK government, it would seem that we are there to aid the French in their rightful task of supporting a democratic government and stopping terrorist groups, like al Qaeda, from … The UK is one of the largest humanitarian donors to the Sahel - in 2020 the UK gave £14.65m in humanitarian aid to Mali and is currently in the process of increasing the size of the UK embassy to reinforce our diplomatic strength in the country. In July, small teams of Special Airforce Service, whose tasks include covert reconnaissance, counterterrorism, direct action, and hostage rescue, were reported to be in Mali preparing for the main force of Light Dragoons and Royal Anglian troops to arrive later in the year. They called on the Malian army to continue working with French troops (Operation Barkhane), their European allies (Takuba), their UN auxiliaries (Minusma), and their auxiliaries from the Sahel countries (G5 Sahel). Operation Serval followed the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2085 of 20 December 2012 and an official request by the Malian interim government for French military assistance. On August 18, amid mounting protests, a junta of Malian army colonels launched a pre-emptive coup, toppling President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and declaring loyalty to the French occupation force. The notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), widely recognized as one of the worst in the world, was the focus of October’s mass anti-police brutality protest movement, which government forces ruthlessly suppressed. We call on you, our brothers in arms, to continue discharging your law-and-order and operational missions.”. France supported the coup because it was aimed against the anti-war protests of youth and workers. A MoD spokesperson told Janes on 2 November that the UK task group was on schedule to begin deploying to Mali in December. Britain has for some years had forces in Nigeria, its former colony where Shell Oil Company has major investments, supposedly training its military and security forces to deal with Islamist terrorist groups. They have flown from RAF Brize Norton by A400M aircraft to the UN camp in Gao. March 10, 2020. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. 300 UK troops have arrived in Mali as part of the UN’s peacekeeping mission, primarily drawn from the Light Dragoons alongside the Royal Anglian Regiment and supported by specialist trades from across the Armed Forces. Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey attacked the Tories for their decade in power, during which “the size of the armed forces has been cut by a quarter, defence spending was cut by over £7 billion.”, International Committee of the Fourth International, Foreword to the German edition of David North’s, May stakes out Britain’s imperialist ambitions in Africa, Pro-imperialist coup topples Malian President Keïta, French-backed security forces in the Sahel guilty of mass extrajudicial executions, Tens of thousands rally in French-occupied Mali for resignation of president, Malians protest to demand departure of French occupation troops, German defence minister supports combat operations in Africa, Forty-nine Malian soldiers dead in Islamic State attack, as protests grow against French-led war. There it was 'early in - early out' notwithstanding the mess that has been left behind. UK troops arriving in Mali on an RAF A400M 300 UK troops have arrived in Mali as part of the UN’s peacekeeping mission, primarily drawn from … We bring years of experience on operations, first class equipment and exceptional people. The median age of its 19 million population is 16.3 years, many lacking access to education. It is an extended European neighbourhood and matters to Britain. It is marked by chronic poverty, instability, high levels of gender inequality, and is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. News of the anticipated deployment to Mali comes in the wake of the government’s announcement of increased funding for the military that will lift the UK’s defence budget by £21.5 billion by March 2025, to £63 billion. In one of her last acts as British Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt announced 250 troops will be deployed to support the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, but for this to be effective it needs a more coherent strategy for engagement in the Sahel and Africa with clear objectives and resources. Les mégatempêtes sont de plus en plus fréquentes dans la région du Sahel en Afrique en raison du #changement climatique. The main body of troops arrived on 2nd December, and all UK personnel will have arrived by 8th December to set up the UK Headquarters. First announced in July 2019 shortly after Johnson became prime minister, the deployment of troops to West Africa began earlier this year when around 30 soldiers and Royal Marines took part in training special forces from West African nations in a US-led “counter-terrorism” exercise in Senegal involving more than 1,600 troops. The first of 300 British troops have arrived in Mali to bolster the UN peacekeeping mission there, with the rest due to follow within a week. The 300 strong Light Dragoon task group is joining over 14,000 peacekeepers from 56 Nations as part of this challenging UN mission in Mali to help protect the people from violence and support political dialogue. The more they have a presence in the region, the more we can feel the effect back in the UK.”. Check how the new Brexit rules affect you. British Chief of the Air Staff Mike Wigston addresses French troops and British airmen and women in Gao, Mali Credit: AFP - Getty. Why is the UK in Mali? Climate change is having a devastating impact on Mali and the entire Sahel, where droughts and floods have obliterated crops and livestock herds, creating tension between farmers and nomadic herders competing for land and shrinking resources. “An advanced … UK forces were sent to Gao, in eastern Mali, where they will form part of Minusma, the UN’s peacekeeping operation with 14,000 troops from 56 countries, in the vast desert and semi-arid region of the Sahel. The Sahel, which includes the francophone countries of Mali, Burkino Faso, Chad, Niger and Mauritania, is not one of Britain’s traditional fields of operations. But Johnson is determined to recoup some of Britain’s lost influence in Africa, while embracing US imperialism and its militaristic agenda. After three decades of US-led wars, the outbreak of a third world war, which would be fought with nuclear weapons, is an imminent and concrete danger. Amidst the flurry of a new British Prime Minister and Cabinet, it was easy to miss the … Nevertheless, the British Army's peacekeeping mission in Mali will probably be the most dangerous task it has faced since the end of combat operations in … This is in addition to its participation in UN peacekeeping missions, recently doubling its deployments to South Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Alongside this, the MoD currently has 3 Chinook helicopters and 100 personnel in a logistics role supporting the French-led Counter-Terrorist mission, Operation BARKHANE. Terrorist violence and conflict is sharply on the rise. It has maintained more than 4,000 troops in Mali, increased to more than 5,100 since the beginning of 2020, as part of an international coalition that includes Germany, Canada, the US and the so-called G5 force of troops from Niger, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Mali. There are more than 250,000 internally displaced people as well as nearly 30,000 refugees from Burkina Faso and Niger. The UN Mission in Mali is made up of over 14,000 peacekeepers from 56 different countries and works to support peace efforts, encourage security sector reform, protect civilians and promote human rights. The UK government's decision to deploy an additional 250 soldiers to join the United Nations mission in Mali (known as MINUSMA) might be in Britain's security interests. It recently emerged—after initial denials—that Britain had in 2019 provided training and equipment for Nigeria’s police and security forces, funded via its so-called “aid” budget. You’ve accepted all cookies. Experimental Feature: Audio Read Version. The coup in Mali is not a putsch by disgruntled soldiers in a distant land. It soon became the UN’s most dangerous mission, and last year it was forced to extend its remit to central Mali. Major John House, commander of the Senegal team, declared it was in Britain's interests to get more involved in the region, saying, “If we don't act, we may find the problems getting closer to our door. It also borders Niger, which hosts France’s military forces including drone bases and provides most of the uranium supplies required for nuclear power production in France. This is entirely separate from the UN mission, but they will be operating in the same region. The UK Task Force will provide a highly specialised reconnaissance capability, conducting patrols to gather intelligence and engage with the local population to help the UN respond to threats from violent extremism, and weak governance. British troops start deploying on 'dangerous' mission to Mali to stop Islamist terrorists crossing Europe’s southern border. Was aimed against the anti-war protests of youth and workers information about how you use GOV.UK sure we... 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