German Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 20/102, p.
12306.
Right honorable Herr President. Ladies and gentlemen.
Already for more than a year, we of the AfD delegation
clearly named the failure of the Bundeswehr’s mission in Mali and demanded the
orderly withdrawal of our soldiers. I may refrain from citing to you and myself
the reaction at that time from the ranks of the self-declared middle of this
house. On the other hand, all European contributors of troops meanwhile have
consequently converted these failures into the decision for a departure. And
the large African contributors of troops have already left MINUSMA. The
departure of the French, British, Swedish, Dutch, Canadians and others leaves
behind on the ground considerable capability gaps which cannot be closed. The risks
for our contingent thereby increase drastically.
The acknowledgment of the failures of the mission in Mali has
for weeks permeated all delegations of this parliament. That is to be welcomed.
I wish to emphasize that here it is a question of a
political, strategic failure for which the Bundeswehr soldiers assigned to Mali
may not be reproached. These failures derive from the entire Western policy in
the Sahel and especially that of the former colonial power France.
Nevertheless, instead of immediately applying the logical consequence of this
acknowledgment, namely to start the forthwith departure of our troops from Mali,
the Federal government in the past year has further increased the size of the
contingent and prepared additional capabilities for MINUSMA. On the other hand,
the task fulfillment of the German MINUSMA contribution, measured by the
mandate, has further receded. The relation with the Mali government has further
worsened. The ruling military junta under the putschist Assimi Goita, who has
named himself interim president of Mali, has meanwhile taken a clear
geopolitical position on the side of Russia. The general security situation has
in any case thereby worsened. Onto one side falls the pressure of the Islamist
terrorists following the departure of the French and the halt proceeding
therefrom of Operation Barkhane and Taskforce Takuba. On the other side, the
Russian Wagner mercenary troops meanwhile with brutal means overtake the fight
on the side of the Mali army and drive the people of Northern Mali into the
hands of the Islamists.
In this increasingly uncontrollable and dangerous situation,
the government now puts before us this singular motion which speaks of a
continued task fulfillment with a simultaneous melting away of capability
contributions. The previously expounded reason for the delayed departure was to
make available helicopters for the rescue chain and other capabilities until
the spring of 2024 for coverage of the planned elections in Mali. In the motion
put forward by the Federal government, these elections as a basis for the
mandate are only very vaguely mentioned; for good reason. Since no one any
longer seriously believes in elections in Mali next spring.
The presented motion nevertheless leaves open when in fact
begins the contingent’s transfer back and when the task fulfillment shall be
discontinued. In the worst case, this means maintaining the presence of the German
participation in MINUSMA until May 2024 and just then to begin the transfer
back of the forces.
For this, an additional half billion euros shall be thrown
after the previous costs of the Mali mission of approximately four billion
euros, without being able to expect an added value or sustainable uses from
this mission.
Consequently, we reject the motion put forward by the
Federal government for a continuation of the Bundeswehr's participation in
MINUSMA and demand the immediate beginning of a rapid, controlled departure of
all German forces from Mali.
I am grateful.
[trans: tem]
