Well and comprehensively researched, using multiple interviews with key actors including a former president of mali and the french commanding general, the french war on al qaida in africa provides a compelling analytical narrative of the important french mission in mali since 20. However, french president francois hollande cannot afford the type of military engagement his. Humanitarian intervention, the responsibility to protect. African perspectives reports the french intervention in mali. Frances military is all over africa business insider. France launched its military intervention in mali in january 20 with the mandate to stop an uprising of various militant groups in the north, threatening the stability and sovereignty of the. France s military intervention has raised eyebrows, both in and outside france, for reasons which, interestingly, are opposite. This duty derives from the norm of the responsibility to protect. In this respect, france has understood the domino effect of the terrorist groups in mali.
France launched its second major african intervention in a year on friday as its troops rushed to the central african republics capital, bangui, to stem violence that already claimed over 100 lives this week. This article uses the french intervention in mali 20 to introduce the. The aim of the operation was to oust islamic militants from the north of mali, who had begun a push into the center of mali. Neocolonialism rulefrench military intervention in mali. Bergamaschi, i 20 french military intervention in mali. Five strategic failures of the french intervention in mali. The position will be based in bamako with frequent travel to. This article argues instead that intervention entrepreneurs play a critical role in the political decisionmaking process of military interventions. Jan 14, 20 stratfor africa analyst mark schroeder discusses the launch of a frenchled effort to dislodge jihadists from northern mali. Since the outset of the security crisis in the sahel, france has been strongly committed to curbing the terrorist threat. Now more than a month into their intervention in mali, french forces have successfully repelled armed jihadist groups and retaken northern cities french intervention in mali, 20. In early 2012, tuareg rebels from the national movement for the liberation of azawad, a separatist movement mnla, seized strategic cities in malis northern territory.
France is leading what will become a multinational intervention in the west african country in order to deny sanctuary and territory to jihadists. Frances armed intervention to expel islamist fighters from northern mali in january 20 and the seizure of an. Hollandes intervention in mali raises concerns the new. Frances intervention in mali after islamic extremists seized parts of mali, the countrys former colonial ruler, france, intervened with a ground and air offensive. But the conflict in mali and the french intervention have wider implications not only for mali and its neighbours, but also for africa, the international community, and france s national security and strategic interests at home and. Although france is intervening wholeheartedly in mali, it may be the case that the country is, more broadly, trying to take more of a back seat in their former. France is to boost the number of troops deployed to its operation barkhane counterterrorism mission in the sahel to 5,100. Using a clausewitzian analytical framework, this article provides an assessment of frances political and military aims in mali and the degree to which they have been attained. The strategic aim for the intervention in mali is the protection of the french interests security and economically. Jan 23, 20 yun sun examines chinas response to france s intervention in mali, explaining that chinese policymakers and analysts fear that mali will turn into france s afghanistan, dragging the country. Pdf this practice note offers an account of frances military intervention in mali launched on 11 january 20.
Frances action in the sahel ministry for europe and. It then examines the exit plan that sowed the seeds of longterm success. Gaddafi quickly gained a reputation as being both unpredictable and aberrant. In 20, france launched operation serval to halt the southwards advance of islamist insurgents in mali. French intervention in mali and the rhetoric of secular ideology. David gressly began by providing an update on the humanitarian needs in mali.
After mali s government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents. Now, nearly one year later, national, regional, and international actors have begun crisis management in earnest. T he disclosure that one of two raf cargo planes offered to france in support of its intervention in mali has temporarily broken down aptly symbolises the. Fighting in mali is a protection for niger, chad, burkina faso and mauritius. The european union eu has a multiyear program to train and restructure the malian military. The regional impact of the armed conflict and french. The country threatens to become a retreat for terrorist, and thousands of people are on the run. French troops patrol in an armored vehicle in bangui, central african republic, december 6, 20.
On 16 january 2012, several insurgent groups began fighting a campaign against the malian government for independence or greater autonomy for northern mali, an area of. Stigall and others published the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and the law of armed conflict find, read and cite all the research you need. Operation serval followed the united nations security council resolution 2085 of december 20, 2012 and an official request by the. The french military intervention in mali placed the country at the top of the international political agenda. Like in mali, france had to intervene at the last minute.
France boosts barkhane force to 5,100 troops to further focus on maliburkina fasoniger triborder area. France presses ahead with international operation in mali. A critical examination of the case of mali amir seyedfarshi lead article table of contents. This panel event is scheduled to assess the humanitarian consequences of conflict and intervention in mali and will feature speakers with specialisms on different aspects of the crisis. Abstract this practice note offers an account of frances military intervention in mali launched on 11 january 20. The regional impact of the armed conflict and french intervention in. A history of conflict and international intervention in libya.
The roots of the conflict a weak state with a weak army unable to secure a huge country twice the size of france, landlocked mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. The mali war, northern mali conflict or mali civil war is a series of armed conflicts that started from january 2012 between the northern and southern parts of mali in africa. Lessons for an expeditionary army details, the french in serval demonstrated that they are adept at quickly fielding small yet highly capable forces tailored for specific needs and objectives and reiteratively task organizing as the situation evolves. She also thanked france for its military intervention in mali. History of conflict and international intervention in libya 2 in the bloodless coup of 1969, mohammed idris was overthrown and moamar algaddafi became commander in chief of the armed forces, and the chairman of the revolutionary command council.
Jan 19, 20 stakes for france are high as hollande continues an intervention in mali. The french intervention in mali einternational relations. But the conflict in mali and the french intervention have wider implications not only for mali and its neighbours, but also for africa, the international community, and frances national security and strategic interests at home and. The period can be extended according to the fund availability and the situation in mali. In part i, i analyze the three initial arguments used by france to justify this intervention on the basis of i united nations security council resolutions, ii. According to diallo 2011, 36, during the period of occupation, africa. As the colony of french soudan, mali was administered with other french colonial territories as the federation of french west africa.
Pdf french intervention in mali and the rhetoric of secular. The crisis began in 2011 when drought developed into a chronic food crisis. With mali in the grip of an unprecedented political crisis, one of the most serious since the landlocked west african country gained independence from france in 1960, we take a look at the main. This led to food insecurity for four million people with an additional 175,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition. Islamist rebels have brought northern mali under their control. The first section provides a brief introduction to malis population and gives some background on the different groups who have been involvedas combatants and noncombatantsin the crisis. Pdf french intervention in mali and the rhetoric of. In 1956, with the passing of frances fundamental law loi cadre, the territorial assembly obtained extensive powers over internal affairs and was permitted to form a cabinet with executive authority over matters within the assemblys competence.
France has deployed some 4,000 troops to mali, alongside a regional african force, in a nineweek operation. Pdf the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and. Jul 01, 20 now more than a month into their intervention in mali, french forces have successfully repelled armed jihadist groups and retaken northern cities french intervention in mali, 20. In 2017, the g5 sahela regional grouping of mali, mauritania, niger, burkina faso, and chadlaunched a joint force to counter security threats. Pdf the french military intervention in mali, counter. Eventually, malis hegemony would end in the xiv century due to the rise of new powers in the region, such as the songai, and the fula people visentini 2012. They have done so in part by pushing modularity below the battalion. Mali,s and islamist extremists subsequently imposed sharia law in the region. Operation serval was a french military operation in mali. A strategic analysis of the french intervention in mali, 20. In 2012, terrorist and radical movements threatened malis national integrity and security, and could have taken longterm control over swathes of its territory. Activity summary overview mali is an exemplar of a complex crisis, involving a military coup, a separatist insurgency, an extremist insurgency involving terrorism, a weak state with a limited capacity to tackle corruption and organized crime, failed security sector reform, and regional power struggles. Humanitarian intervention, the responsibility to protect, and.
Firstly, it provides an analysis of the events that led up to the dual crisis in the countrys northern and southern regions and to a new wave of armed conflict between government and rebel forces. Yet, while france basks in the angelic light of its saviour status, beneath the veneer of the present, lurk the demons of the past. Stigall and others published the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and the law of armed conflict find, read. In 1855, mali was colonized by france aft er the decisions of the berlin conference.
France was supposed to have a largely civilian role, not itself engaged in fighting and with no troops on the ground. Operation serval followed the united nations security council resolution 2085 of december 20, 2012 and an official request by the malian interim government for french military assistance. What began as a french military reaction to an islamic insurgency in mali in 2012 has now grown into a more permanent and crossborder counterterrorism effort by. France has traditionally cultivated close relations to west african states and is now campaigning for an international intervention in mali. After malis government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents. Activity summary overview mali is an exemplar of a complex crisis, involving a military coup, a separatist insurgency, an extremist insurgency involving terrorism, a weak state with a limited capacity to tackle corruption and organized crime, failed security sector reform, and. The french war on al qaida in africa by christopher s. Since 20, france has undertaken direct military intervention.
412 278 1551 384 697 808 1085 869 972 416 1148 1674 1155 869 1298 1480 1345 1303 1051 693 1687 250 487 749 1313 219 202 889 87 733 537 1281 880 256 1330 939 746 434 35 239 1252 979 934