Economic Community of the States of West Africa (ECOWAS) has formed an intervention force, in accordance with resolution 2085 of the Security Council of the UN, to help Bamako to regain control of northern Mali, busy by armed Islamist groups. This force, the International Mission Support in Mali (Misma) will be headed by a Nigerian general, Shehu Abdulkadir. Chad, which is not part of ECOWAS, has also promised to send a contingent of 2000 men. In total, more than 5600 soldiers from the African continent should be made in Mali and eventually taking over the French army.
Since January 17, some 150 African troops arrived in Bamako. By January 26, 2000 should be to have joined the Malian territory. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Désiré Ouedraogo Kadré, has urged the international community to "mobilize" to complete the financing of the Misma. According to him, a "preliminary assessment" is required to "500 million dollars" (some 375 million). The European Union has decided to participate in the funding of 50 million euros.
For its part, France has deployed 2,000 men in Mali, a figure that will soon reach 2,500 soldiers. The French operation commenced on January 11 Mali "is not intended to replace the action of Misma," said the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, January 19, at the opening of a peak on the West African Malian crisis. African force should be deployed "as soon as possible, and this is the object of our meeting," he added.
The European Union agreed on Jan. 17 to deploy a mission to train and reorganize the Malian army, composed of 450 men, including 200 teachers, from mid-February.
Here are the details of the participating African countries Misma:
Nigeria : 1200 men
On January 17, fifty Nigerians arrived in Bamako on the quota of 1,200 men promised Abuja. A staff is already present in the Malian capital.
Togo : 540 men
The 17 January 40 Togolese soldiers arrived in Bamako on the total quota, an infantry battalion of 540 men.
Niger : 500 men
The battalion is currently stationed in the region Ouallam (north of Niamey), near the Malian border.
Burkina Faso : 500 men
The battalion Burkinabe must be positioned in the region of Markala (260 km northeast of Bamako), where French soldiers are already deployed, "but this site is subject to change," according to a source close to the staff . "The first company (about 150 men) en route to Mali," said Monday, January 21, an official of the General Staff Burkinabe, refusing to specify the day of departure by land, "for reasons safe. " "In a week maximum, the battalion will be there," said the military source.
Senegal : 500 men
Fifty Senegalese have already arrived in Bamako on the 500 promised Dakar.
Benin : 650 men
The Benin will send 650 soldiers in Mali, instead of the 300 announced initially, to participate in the Misma said on January 20 a senior military official. "The president, Thomas Boni Yayi, decided that we add 350 soldiers to 300 planned to compose a battalion of 650 men organic," said the Chief of the General Staff of the army of Benin, the cons- Admiral Hounsou Disclaimers Gbessemehlan. "We will evolve more in the battalion of Togo but we present ourselves our combat team in Mali," he added. Thirty Beninese soldiers are headed for Bamako.
Guinea : 125 men
Ghana : 120 men
These 120 men from an engineer squadron.
Chad : 2000 men
N'Djamena has promised a contingent of 2000 men, consisting of an infantry regiment and two support battalions. Chadian President Idriss Deby has visited January 20, the first contingent of 200 soldiers of the Special Forces Chadian stationed on a military base in Niamey (Niger) before they go to Mali.Chadians, seasoned and experienced combat in the desert, should provide a strong added value to Misma.
Côte d'Ivoire : Logistics Battalion
The President of the ECOWAS, Désiré Ouedraogo Kadré announced that Côte d'Ivoire - who had indicated that it would not provide troops to Misma-"expressed its intention to contribute with a logistics battalion," at the extraordinary summit of ECOWAS on Mali, which was held Saturday in Abidjan.
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