In Mali, Annalena Baerbock makes no secret of the fact that things cannot go on like this.

A "clear commitment to democratization" is needed to continue cooperation with the interim government in Bamako, said the Foreign Minister on Wednesday after talks with interim President Assimi Goïta.

She also said that to Goïta.

The country must also present a reform plan.

France Wittenbrink

Editor in Politics.

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Baerbock confirmed that Europe would "not continue" the EUTM training mission in view of the Malian-Russian cooperation.

However, the MINUSMA mission of the UN must be clearly separated from this.

She still thinks that it makes sense and is important.

They also want to continue working with Mali to address the many crises that are happening in the country.

When asked by German journalists traveling with her whether the putschist Goïta could be presented as a credible partner in the Bundestag, despite the postponed elections, the cooperation with Russian mercenaries and the human rights violations by his army, she did not give a clear answer.

“International lost a lot of trust”

The Foreign Minister had already made it clear before her multi-day trip to the West African country that the transitional government in Mali would have to change its behavior.

Even before departure on Monday evening, she reiterated her doubts about the European training mission.

The goals of the mission are "actually counteracted" by the Malian government, said Baerbock.

The government in Bamako has "lost a lot of international trust" in recent months.

On Tuesday, after a visit to German soldiers in the city of Gao in the north of the country, she became even clearer: she was joining EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Borrell had announced the night before that the EU would end the practical training of security forces in Mali because the Malian interim government could not credibly assure that there was no interference from Russian mercenary troops.

However, the Europeans would remain in the country to advise security forces strategically and to teach them the rules of warfare, according to the EU foreign policy chief.

Together with Germany, a total of 24 nations have been taking part in the "European Union Training Mission" in Mali since 2013, most of them members of the EU.

The core task of the mission is to train the Malian armed forces to fight Islamist groups and thus support the Malian government in ensuring security and stability in its country.

The mission, in which around 300 Bundeswehr soldiers are currently involved, has been criticized for some time.

The Malian soldiers are still considered to be poorly trained;

they are also accused of human rights violations.

The alleged collaboration with the notorious "Group Wagner" is currently causing outrage.

Two weeks ago, the Malian army, together with Russian mercenaries, is said to have carried out a massacre in the central Malian city of Moura. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch speaks of around 300 civilians killed.

Baerbock compared the actions of the Wagner mercenaries in Mali on their journey with the atrocities that Russia is currently committing in Ukraine.

One sees "similar patterns", said the Foreign Minister.