HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2023) The Estonian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday it had sent for approval to the parliament a draft resolution, under which up to five Estonian soldiers may join the EU Military Partnership Mission in Niger (EUMPM Niger).
"The defense forces may send to Niger up to five servicemen to participate in the European Union's military mission EUMPM Niger. By taking part in the mission, Estonia contributes to the security of the EU member states and thus to eliminating problems and threats to the south of Europe, such as the spreading of terrorism and mass migration, at their source," the ministry said in a statement.
In December 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision establishing EUMPM Niger to support the Niger armed forces in their fight against terrorism at the request of the country's authorities, but the mission itself was in fact launched in February 2023 with an initial duration of three years. The Estonian defense forces had been present in neighboring Mali since 2013, but were withdrawn by November 2022.
The objectives of the EUMPM Niger include the construction of a technical training center for the Niger armed forces, the provision of special training based on mobile training teams, and the creation of a new communications and command support battalion.
Niger is among the countries of the Sahel region most affected by transnational organized crime and terrorism. The country has been facing a growing number of terrorist threats, from kidnappings to human and arms trafficking. These problems are exacerbated by a weakened rural economy increasingly affected by desertification, climate change and political instability.
