Medal Parade in Mali
Szöveg: Captain Gábor Gyula Polonyi | 2018. október 3. 11:59The main training base of the European Union Training Mission Mali (EUTM Mali) is in Koulikoro, lying 60 kms away from Bamako, the capital. The Hungarian infantry training group of six soldiers, who will soon finish their tour of duty, are also working there. At the medal parade, organised to mark the occasion, the Hungarian soldiers were decorated – as a recognition of their outstanding work – with the EUTM Mali Service Medal by Colonel László Talpas – as the Senior National Representative (SNR) – serving at the Bamako HQ.
Adapting to the local weather conditions, the Hungarian soldiers carried out their tasks not once in 45 to 50 degrees Celsius heat at the beginning of the mission, and recently in violent, torrential rainfall. Though their base is in Koulikoro, the Hungarian trainers conducted the training of the Malian soldiers at several points of the country, quite often hundreds of kilometres away from the camp.
The professional competence of the Hungarian trainers was shown by the frequent acknowledgement of their superiors, praising their task-execution.
The main objective of the EUTM Mali is the training of the Mali Army, through which the European Union contributes to the greater stability of the African country and the region. The mission began its 4th mandate in May 2018. Hungary announced in 2018 that she wishes to be more engaged for the success of the mission. The Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) increases the number of the soldiers to be posted to the mission up to 20.
