Finland Plans To Increase Participation In EU Military Training Mission In Mali

Finland Plans to Increase Participation in EU Military Training Mission in Mali

Finland will continue its involvement in peacekeeping missions in various states, in particular in Lebanon and Iraq, and also plans to expand its participation in the EU military training mission in Mali, the government press service said on Friday

HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th April, 2020) Finland will continue its involvement in peacekeeping missions in various states, in particular in Lebanon and Iraq, and also plans to expand its participation in the EU military training mission in Mali, the government press service said on Friday.

Finland has deployed around 400 servicemen to conflict zones as part of UN, EU and NATO-led missions and US-led international coalition fighting against the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia).

"Finland [will] continue to participate in the UN UNIFIL operation in Lebanon with approximately 200 soldiers in the French reserve battalion from 1 January 2021 until further notice ... Finland is preparing to continue its participation in Iraq both in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS' Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) and in NATO Mission Iraq (NMI). Finland is also preparing to increase its participation in the EU military training mission in Mali," the statement said.

Finland will also take part in the Very High Readiness exercise of the NATO Response Force (NRF) in 2022. The country has been participating in these drills since 2012.

Finland's military activities oversees were discussed on Friday at a meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy on Friday, which was attended by President Sauli Niinisto.