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Joint communiqué to the statement of the Malian authorities concerning the Danish contribution to the Task Force Takuba

26 January 2022

We, the international partners committed to supporting Mali and its people in their efforts to achieve sustainable peace and stability and combat terrorism, deeply regret the statement by the Malian transitional authorities, dated January 24, alleging that the deployment of the Danish contingent in the Task Force Takuba has been made without a proper legal basis and consent from the Malian government, and therefore demanding its withdrawal from the Malian soil.

Denmark’s contribution to the fight against terrorism in Mali is critical and much needed in the region.

We recall that all Takuba Partners are conducting their action in Mali within a robust legal framework agreed upon by Mali’s sovereign government, including a formal invitation extended to international partners by the Malian authorities. They act in full accordance with international and national laws in their support to the Malian armed forces and in their long-standing fight against armed terrorist groups.

We recall that the Malian authorities sent a formal invitation letter to the government of Denmark on 27 November 2019. The notification of acceptance was then transmitted by the Danish embassy in Bamako on 29 June 2021, and signed on the very same day by the Protocol of the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The presence of Danish soldiers on Malian soil is therefore legal, has been the subject of an invitation from the authorities of the Republic of Mali and has respected the legal procedure agreed by the legal services of the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Defence.

We call on the Malian government to respect the solid grounds on which our diplomatic and operational cooperation are based and to quickly remedy to this situation at a critical time for Mali, when solidarity is required more than ever.

Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, United Kingdom

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