Germany extends African missions another year
Wednesday 03/April/2019 - 03:06 PM
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet has approved
extending Germany’s military missions in Africa for another year.
The dpa news agency reported Wednesday that that
includes German troops taking part in a European Union training mission in Mali
known as EUTM, and the United Nations “Minusma” peacekeeping force there.
Dpa reports the Cabinet also plans to extend
Germany’s commitment to the EU’s anti-piracy mission Atalanta that operates off
the Horn of Africa, but to reduce its maximum troop numbers from 600 to 400. There
are currently 80 troops taking part.
Germany currently has some 180 troops involved in
the EUTM mission, with a maximum of 350. A further 900 are in Mali and Niger as
part of the Minusma force, with a maximum of 1,100.
