Thread by @jseldin

#Africa - "I see a continent with a lot of countries, very fragile countries...affected by this #COVID19 crisis" @eu_eeas Maj-Gen Hermínio Maio tells #EUDefense

"We need to wait and see what will be really the security impact"

EU Training mission in Mali using social distancing, temp checks, masks, per @eutmmali1's Brig-Gen Frantisek Ridzák in #Mali

Partners are using same precautions

"All of the drivers of instability & all of the challenges that have always existed for us all are still there" @thejointstaff Brig-Gen William Zana tells #EUDefense re #COVID19 in #Africa, #Sahel

"In some areas, we see worsening or greater challenges"

Planning, budgeting, exercises, rotations - "all of those now get compressed in different ways because of #COVID" per @thejointstaff Brig-Gen Zana

@DeptofDefense focus is "to do them in a way where we're not overlapping or creating new gaps & seams"

"We are preparing to resume all those [training] activities" after #COVID19 pause, per @eu_eeas Maj-Gen Maio

Though he says in some cases, like in #Somalia, remote assistance contiued

"We reduced more or less 50% our capacities but we continued to have some essential means on the ground" per @eu_eeas Maj-Gen Maio

"Violent extremist groups, transnational criminal organizations-1 of our challenges has been trying to understand what response those organizations have had, what it is that they're doing or not doing when you add #COVID into the broader context" per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana

#Somalia "#alShabaab seeking to set up additional services & clinics" in response to #COVID19 per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana

"While it hasn't been tremendously successful, it is an indication of a broader set of ambitions"

#Libya-"I look at with great concern particularly w/#Russia's activities w/Wagner Group & other paramilitary organizations that have been brought in from other countries" per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana

"#China is doing some things w/peacekeeping operations on the continent" per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana "I applaud China being a part of a broader set of solutions"

"But I also got to see 1st hand, activities...lasing of aircraft...which are not adhering to int'l norms"

"We need to understand that the problem in those countries is more related w/state-building realities than w/the security & defense realities" per @eu_eeas Maj-Gen Maio on #Africa missions

Added complications from intervention like #Russia's in Central African Republic (CAR) "w/no regulation & no transparency" per @eu_eeas MajGen Maio "What we want when we are in those countries is transparency"

On #migration-"We need to invest in the future, changing mentalities & trying to support the development of those countries" per @eu_eeas MajGen Maio "The Africans, they love Africa. They would like to live in Africa"

"The continued int'l presence in #Mali...is extremely important" per @eutmmali1 BrigGen Ridzák calling training of Malian forces "a long-term process"

"We have to be here and we have to assist...we cannot leave it as it is" per Ridzák "We should be patient"

"Our intervention is not a short term intervention. It is long-term" per @eu_eeas MajGen Maio "We need to change mentalities and this takes time"

"Our intervention is not a short term intervention. It is long-term" per @eu_eeas MajGen Maio "We need to change mentalities and this takes time"

"The US commitment in #Africa continues & its a deep legacy of commitment" per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana, calling defense assistance as playing a supporting role to diplomatic & other efforts

US review of troop levels in #Africa, elsewhere "are reasonable things to assess" per @thejointstaff BrigGen Zana

"Periodic reassessment of that is healthy, is something that is prudent...There are always going to be greater demands"