Five European countries have expressed their backing to a mission in order to train Malian military forces:
Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and France issued a statement in Paris endorsing the plan for Mali.
Here is the part of the statement mentioning Africa:
Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain
Paris, 15 November 2012
1. We, Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Italy,
Poland and Spain, met today in Paris to confirm our readiness to foster an ambitious
European policy in the field of security and defence. Much has been achieved in the last ten
years. The start of three new missions this year is proof of the EU’s ability to act. However,
threats to security, including in the European neighbourhood, call for decisive actions.
Europeans must take share of responsibility to respond more actively to the challenges
ahead in order to guarantee Europe’s security.
5. We share the view that providing support to regional organisations and local authorities
to strengthen stability in ungoverned or fragile areas reinforces the security of EU citizens
and interests. In this spirit, the EU strengthened its engagement in the Horn of Africa, by
continuing the support to governance and capacity building for Somalia, and in the Sahel,
namely in Niger, within a comprehensive and regional approach. We encourage our
partners to enhance efforts for a political solution to the Malian crisis, as well as to
contribute to a possible training mission to support the Malian armed forces, in line with the
Foreign Affairs Council’s conclusions of the 15th of October. We equally encourage the EU
to stand ready, as recalled in the FAC conclusions of July 2012, to provide assistance to
support the new Libyan Authorities.
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In the news:
Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and France issued a statement in Paris endorsing the plan for Mali.
Here is the part of the statement mentioning Africa:
Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain
Paris, 15 November 2012
1. We, Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ministers of Defence of France, Germany, Italy,
Poland and Spain, met today in Paris to confirm our readiness to foster an ambitious
European policy in the field of security and defence. Much has been achieved in the last ten
years. The start of three new missions this year is proof of the EU’s ability to act. However,
threats to security, including in the European neighbourhood, call for decisive actions.
Europeans must take share of responsibility to respond more actively to the challenges
ahead in order to guarantee Europe’s security.
5. We share the view that providing support to regional organisations and local authorities
to strengthen stability in ungoverned or fragile areas reinforces the security of EU citizens
and interests. In this spirit, the EU strengthened its engagement in the Horn of Africa, by
continuing the support to governance and capacity building for Somalia, and in the Sahel,
namely in Niger, within a comprehensive and regional approach. We encourage our
partners to enhance efforts for a political solution to the Malian crisis, as well as to
contribute to a possible training mission to support the Malian armed forces, in line with the
Foreign Affairs Council’s conclusions of the 15th of October. We equally encourage the EU
to stand ready, as recalled in the FAC conclusions of July 2012, to provide assistance to
support the new Libyan Authorities.
--
In the news:
