Belgian Brigadier General Eric Harvent takes the lead of EUTM European Training Mission in Mali 10407162.

It's been a long time since the Belgian army has not assumed the command of an international military mission. As the leader of EUTM mission in Mali, Belgium wants to show its commitment to be present in Africa under European Union international military and humanitarian missions.

Belgium has troops in Mali since 2013, with a total of 80 military personnel that will be increased to 175 soldiers during July 2016. A total of 55 Belgian soldiers will be integrated to the "Mobile Advisory and Training Team" to provide military advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces.

EUTM Mali provides advice at both strategic and regional level, to the Ministry of Defence, Malian Armed Forces (MaAF) authorities and to military headquarters in the military region garrisons in support of to the implementation of the structural reforms encompassed in the Defence Programming Law.

In order to transition to an autonomous Malian Armed Forces training in the future, EUTM will concentrate on a gradual “Train the Trainer” and “Monitor the Trainer” approach focusing on Malian Armed Forces leaders mainly in the military region headquarter garrisons, Malian military schools or at the EUTM Training Centre in Koulikoro.

The mandate for the EU-Training Mission in Mali was established in February 2013, and extended for 24 months in May 2014. In order to continue providing military training and advice to the Malian Armed Forces the Council of the European Union decided on 23 March 2016, EUTM Mali`s third Mandate, which will last until 18 May 2018.