Embassy Recent Events
U.S.-Mali Bilateral Military Exercises in Mali Build Capacity and Serve Local Communities
From May to June 2009, U.S. Special Operations Forces assigned to the United States Africa Command, or USAFRICOM, based in Stuttgart, Germany conducted bi-lateral military training with the Malian Armed Forces in Bamako, Timbuktu and Gao. These training opportunities enhance military interoperability and enable both sides to train in basic but important skills such as first aid, the preservation of human rights, small unit tactics, leadership and land navigation.
During these bilateral military exercises, Malian and American military personnel joined forces to provide humanitarian assistance to select local communities in the three regions. These joint humanitarian and military operations are another sign of the support of the United States government and the American people for the peace, stability, and prosperity of Malian citizens
These bilateral exercises are the latest in a series of ongoing training programs for Malian and American personnel. A testament of our growing partnership and collaboration is the fact that the May-June 2009 training will, for the first time, involve three different branches of the American military and their Malian counterparts. This includes Marine Special Operations, Army Special Forces, and Air Force Special Operations.
