This is the first time Lithuania contributes to a non-civilian UN operation. Although MINUSMA is a military operation, the Lithuanian soldiers deployed to it will not be involved in combat actions.
MINUSMA is not the first multinational deployment of Lithuanian military in Mali. Since spring 2013, three Lithuanian soldiers are deployed to the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) on a rotational basis each year to assist in training Malian security forces.
Lithuania made the decision to take part in the UN stabilisation operation in Mali in response to the call of France to contribute to bilateral and collective efforts to combat terrorism in the wake of the terrorist attack in Paris in November. Mali has been torn by unrest since the northern part of the country was seized by jihadist groups associated with al Qaeda in 2012. They have been nearly drawn out since 2013, however, large areas of the country in the south are still controlled weakly. The UN stabilisation operation MINUSMA was launched in Mali in July 2013. Currently it has over 9 thousand troops, 1.1 thousand police officers, and roughly 1.2 civilians under its flag.
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Lithuania contributes to a number of international operations and missions as it fulfils its commitments to international security. Currently 30 Lithuanian soldiers are deployed to 5 multinational operations: the European Union Training Mission in Mali EUTM Mali, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia in the southcentral Mediterranean, and operational headquarters of EU NAVFOR – ATALANTA in Northwood (UK), and NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Participations in multinational operations remains one of the priority expressions of Lithuania’s commitment to international security and a tool to strengthen the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, NATO collective defence, and military cooperation.
