Dakar, 22 February 2022 (TDI): German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for greater cooperation between Europe and Senegal. President Macky Sall of Senegal welcomed the German President to the country’s capital Dakar.
German President is on his three-day official visit to the West African nation, Senegal. The German President received military honors at the capital Dakar. Both the leaders, discussed various political and military aspects, including coups and terrorism.
🇸🇳🤝🇩🇪Le Président allemand Frank-Walter Steinmeie s’est entretenu aujourd’hui avec le Président @Macky_Sall.
Le renforcement des liens d’amitié et de coopération économique entre Dakar et Berlin, la production de vaccins, le pétrole ont été entre autres les sujets abordés. pic.twitter.com/TBL2VqzfmG— Présidence Sénégal (@PR_Senegal) February 21, 2022
According to the German President “For all the differences that exist: We must find the way to a closer, fruitful partnership”. He also praised the nation as a stable democracy in the region. Steinmeier, on Monday also laid the foundation of Goethe Institute in Dakar.
German President also mentioned that he wanted to see new momentum in the relationship between Germany and Senegal. Frank-Walter is the second German president to make a state visit to Senegal, the first being Heinrich Lübke in 1962.
Troops in Mali: MINUSMA
MINUSMA is a United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. Senegal wants Germany to keep its forces in Mali under the United Nations MINUSMA, peace-keeping forces.
Senegal is concerned about the highly tense security situation in the region, especially in neighboring Mali. President Macky Sall of Senegal, as the new Chairperson of the African Union also highlighted the issue in the current EU-AU summit.
Macky Sall is in favor of international troops in Mali. He stressed the same in the recent visit of the German President. Sall asked the President of Germany to maintain Germany’s presence in the Sahel region, especially in Mali. He added that “we need European forces, MINUSMA and Germany in Mali”.
German Presence
As a part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Germany currently has some 1,170 soldiers in Mali. Added to this Germany also has some 328 troops presence in Mali under the European Union Military Training Mission (EUTM).
German President also expressed his agreement to the deployment of extra troops to Mali. This move will be under consideration as French forces are withdrawing from Mali.
With the withdrawal of French forces from Mali, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht is skeptical about continued participation in the EU training mission. While the final decision-making about the participation rests with the German President.
Insurgency
Senegal neighboring Mali is facing an insurgency since 2012. Before spreading to Burkina Faso and Niger, a lot of destabilization has been created in the region. One of the reasons behind the current insurgency is the wave of military coups in the region.
As a result, thousands of precious lives, including both civilian and military personnel died in the horror wave of militancy. About two million people have been displaced across the region, living in limbo.
