€20 million crisis response and stabilisation support package for Mali has been allocated by the European Commission. At the same time, the Council launched the EU mission (EUTM) to support the training and reorganisation of
the Malian Armed Forces.

Under the Instrument for Stability (IfS), the European Commission allocated a €20 million support package to provide immediate support to Mali's law enforcement and justice services, the Malian local authorities, dialogue and reconciliation initiatives at local level, and the first phases of the upcoming electoral process. Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs announced on 12 February the fully fledged resumption of development aid to Mali for an amount of some €250 million.

In addition, the Council launched the EU mission (EUTM) to support the training and reorganisation of the Malian Armed Forces. An advance party has arrived in Bamako on 8 February and will start the expertise and advisory tasks in the coming days. Military instructors are planned to be deployed before the end of March.

According to the Council, EUTM Mali will provide advice and military training to the Malian Armed Forces, including on command and control, logistics and human resources as well as on international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and human rights. The mission, that will not be involved in combat operations, is led by the Brigadier General François Lecointre from France who is the EU mission commander for around 500 staff. The common costs of the operation are estimated at €12.3 million for the initial mandate of 15 months.