Canada could send military advisors to Mali
Canada is considering sending soldiers as advisors in Mali to participate in the training of troops to be sent to the north to hunt armed Islamists who have taken control there, said Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Canada-could-se...
We are thinking about the contribution that Canada could provide," MacKay said during a speech Sunday at a military base in Halifax.
The minister stressed that "we are not yet able to make an announcement" formalizing a military mission in the country where a score of Canadian mining companies have invested approximately $ 300 million, especially in the gold sector.
"The Canadian Forces have developed expertise in training," he said. "The training mission in Afghanistan is an example."
Ottawa withdrew its combat troops from Afghanistan,but some 700 military trainers are still present in the country.
The Canadian Minister of Defence explained that the number of military trainers that could be deployed remains to be defined: "It depends on the application to be made" by the Malian authorities, he said.
"We always follow the situation in Mali, but also in the region," added Peter MacKay.
The Security Council of the United Nations adopted on December 20 unanimously approved a resolution authorizing "for an initial period of one year," the deployment of an international force in Mali, but reservations remain about its capabilities.
According to the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, military intervention could be launched in the first half of 2013.
The minister stressed that "we are not yet able to make an announcement" formalizing a military mission in the country where a score of Canadian mining companies have invested approximately $ 300 million, especially in the gold sector.
"The Canadian Forces have developed expertise in training," he said. "The training mission in Afghanistan is an example."
Ottawa withdrew its combat troops from Afghanistan,but some 700 military trainers are still present in the country.
The Canadian Minister of Defence explained that the number of military trainers that could be deployed remains to be defined: "It depends on the application to be made" by the Malian authorities, he said.
"We always follow the situation in Mali, but also in the region," added Peter MacKay.
The Security Council of the United Nations adopted on December 20 unanimously approved a resolution authorizing "for an initial period of one year," the deployment of an international force in Mali, but reservations remain about its capabilities.
According to the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, military intervention could be launched in the first half of 2013.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Canada-could-se...