A Belgian company in Operation Barkhane. A political agreement still needed

(B2) Belgians should engage in Mali in 2021 in a more robust way than today

A company or under GTIA in Barkhane

A "sub GTIA" according to the French name, a company according to the Belgian name, should be integrated into Operation Barkhane, according to our elements, and not in the Takuba task force. About 200 men, mainly from the land component of the Belgian army, which is campaigning in particular for this engagement, which will also test its new Griffon and Jaguar armored vehicles on a 'life-size' basis, in total interoperability with the French (1).

The official caution

This is explained in the general policy note from the Ministry of Defense submitted to the Chamber of Deputies at the beginning of November: “ deployment of a combined arms tactical subgroup (CATSG or Combined Arms Tactical Subgroup), possibly within the framework of the French operation Barkhane, will be studied further and, if necessary, will be the subject of a parliamentary debate ". A very cautious statement, which contrasts with the other commitments related more decisively in this note (EUTM, Minusma). On the side of the office of the Belgian Minister of Defense, the young Ludivine Dedonder, contacted by B2, we do not really want to say more.

A very political 'decision'

The explanation is very political, as a colleague with a good knowledge of Belgian defense told me. The decision normally rests with the executive in Belgium. But there is no unanimity within what is called the 'Vivaldi' coalition (2). If the French-speaking Liberals and Socialists are quite outgoing, French-speaking Greens, Ecologists and Flemish Socialists in particular do not feel a frenzied desire for what may appear to be a military 'adventure'. Hence the government's decision to resort to a parliamentary discussion, a kind of approval allowing it to avoid a crisis on an ancillary subject in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

On the subject, read also FOB who was one of the first to cover this information

1.  A joint exercise brought together the two partners a year ago. Read : The first 'CaMo' exercise in Belgium has started et Celtic insurrection in the province of Luxembourg.
2. In reference to the four seasons of the Italian composer and his colorful illustration — green, red, orange, blue — which symbolizes the colors of the main parties that are members of it (Ecolos, Socialists, Flemish Christian Democrats, Liberals).