After receiving final approval from the German parliament on Friday, German troops will participate in a small European Union training mission in Niger. This deployment is intended to support Niger, which is at risk of violence spilling over from neighboring Mali. Since the withdrawal of French and other European forces, Islamist militants have been gaining ground in Mali.
To assist the African nation of N one of the world’s poorest nations, in developing its logistics and infrastructure, Europe decided to create a three-year military operation there in December. Germany plans to send up to 60 soldiers, while there are currently between 50 and 100 European militaries stationed in Niger.
The German military had been training Niger’s special forces with approximately 150 soldiers since 2018, but the mission concluded at the end of 2022. Despite this, approximately 1,100 German troops remain stationed in Mali, the majority of whom are located near the northern town of Gao. Their primary objective is to gather reconnaissance for a U.N. peacekeeping mission.