The Diplomat
The Government has authorized the purchase of ballistic protection vests and helmets for certain Spanish representations in risk areas, specifically in the Sahel, for an amount of 116,281 euros.
The Council of Ministers yesterday took note of the declaration of emergency for the procurement of the supply of one hundred high protection vests composed of multi-purpose tactical plate holder and set of ballistic plates with LEVEL IV armor and one hundred ballistic helmets with LEVEL IIIA armor, for an amount of 116,281 euros (VAT included), “for certain risk representations of Spain abroad”.
The Sahel area, according to the Government, “is immersed in a situation of growing political turbulences and social instability, giving rise, in some cases, to conflicts of an armed nature”. In this context, it continues, “the weakening of security indicators in some countries with potential terrorist risk has raised the level of insecurity to the maximum, motivating the temporary closure of some of our diplomatic missions.”
“In this scenario, it is necessary to increase and reinforce security measures, providing them with specific security equipment, especially so that the movements of the personnel deployed – within their diplomatic and administrative activity – take place with the greatest security guarantees,” it adds. Consequently, the declaration of emergency has been made for the procurement of the supply of the aforementioned protection material and the Council of Ministers has been informed of this in application of the Public Sector Contracts Act of 2017.
Last June 30, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved the withdrawal of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) after the military junta ruling in Bamako demanded the “immediate” withdrawal of the mission, which had been in the country for ten years and had nearly 13,000 troops. Spain, present in this mission since its inception in 2013, contributed about 140 troops, according to the Defense General Staff. Spain also participates in the EUTM Mali mission, in charge of training Malian security forces, but both the withdrawal of MINUSMA and the presence of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries alongside the troops have greatly complicated the continuity of this mission.
Burkina Faso, one of the main contributors of troops to MINUSMA, has supported Mali’s request. Both countries are in the hands of military juntas and have a good relationship with Russia (although Burkina Faso has not allowed Wagner to enter, unlike Mali). The Spanish Embassy in Bamako covers, precisely, the diplomatic representation in Mali and Burkina Faso.
In addition, Sudan has been suffering, since last April, armed clashes in Khartoum and other parts of the country between the Sudanese Army and a paramilitary group called Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As a consequence, the Spanish Embassy in Khartoum has suspended its activities until security conditions allow its reopening.
