Following the cabinet’s decision, a person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters that the German government has cleared the way for German troops to take part in an EU military mission in Niger.
As part of an EU mission to assist the government in Niamey in bolstering its forces, Germany plans to send up to 60 soldiers to Niger.
Whether Berlin will participate will ultimately be decided by the German parliament, and a vote is anticipated at the end of April.
In December, the EU decided to send a three-year military mission to Niger. The country will receive assistance from 50–100 European troops initially, and up to 300 at a later time to help it develop its infrastructure and logistics.
Niger, one of the most impoverished nations on earth, is seen to be vulnerable to a possible spillover of conflict from Mali, which is next door and where Islamic militants have been making gains since the withdrawal of French and other European forces.