The Belgians will not go to Barkhane in 2021. And for 2022 we will see!
(B2) The Belgian Defense Minister, Ludivine Dedonder, confirmed this Wednesday (May 19) in the Defense Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Belgium will not join the French operation in the Sahel
In 2021 it is excluded, no troops available
« Due to several factors such as the unforeseen extension of the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission in Afghanistan and the reorientation and development of new initiatives within the framework of the Coalition for the Sahel, Defense had to review its planning. operational for 2021 “indicates Ludivine Dedonder, according to the official report received by B2. " A new large-scale deployment in 2021 is therefore not realistic. »
No commitment was made
Belgium therefore makes Paris linger a little. There is no breaking a promise assures the minister. " Our country had not yet made any commitment. “France will appreciate … Paris which asked the “ European states to deploy more conventional troops as part of the Takuba task force » will have to be chomping at the bit. And the objective of Florence Parly to have a dozen countries in Takuba risk considered more worthy of the Coué method than of reality.
For 2022, we will see
For the following year, the Belgian Minister is indeed more than cautious, " the various deployment options for 2022 are currently being studied. "An extension of the Belgian military deployment in the Sahel" will be discussed in the Council of Ministers and in Parliament ". The folder " on the program of operations for 2022 “will be submitted to the government” in the last quarter of 2021 ».
A scandal with Paris narrowly avoided
This subject of Belgian participation in Barkhane was a high subject of tension between Paris and Belgium. Evidenced by the case of the tweet of MP Theo Francken (N-VA). In the wake of a meeting of the commission responsible for monitoring missions abroad, the nationalist deputy tweeted this: "Operatie Barkhane: "geen deelname in 2021 #DedonderLudivin #Comdef" (Operation Barkhane: "no participation in 2021")
The French were not yet officially aware of the decision taken by the Belgian cabinet. And the phone then 'heated' between Paris and Belgium. The Belgian Minister of Defense then demanded, a few days later, in a letter addressed to the president of the commission (Annick Ponthier, belonging to the far-right party Vlaams Belang) sanctions (letter published by the RTBF). What had finally been applied: ban on attending meetings to which the obligation of secrecy is applicable, until the end of the 2020-2021 ordinary session and a fine in the form of a 20% deduction from his parliamentary allowance for a three month period. Not without arousing some angry reactions from other deputies, yet majority partners, such as Denis Ducarme, finding the sanction exaggerated. " There is no fault of Théo Francken, but of Minister Dedonder thunders the Liberal MP (MR) according to the daily Le Soir.
Commentary: a reversal, a sign of a misunderstanding?
Contrary to the official position, this is indeed a reversal of the Belgian government. Even if no certainty was acquired, the Belgian intention had indeed been displayed, and repeated (apparently) at least during a bilateral interview. In addition to the official argument of the lack of troops, we can put forward two other elements of a politico-military order. On the one hand, the absence of a political consensus between the various partners of the majority, on this high-risk commitment. On the other hand, the absence of a truly fixed framework at the multinational level. Are there other elements to explain this Belgian attitude? Nothing is to be excluded... In any case, there is frying on the line between Paris and Belgium.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
