The recruitment center of the EDF is looking for a French translator with a view to working with the Estonian personnel potentially to participate in French-led Operation Barkhane in the African region of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The length of the rotation is four months plus training. In the job ad the EDF state that they may send several rotations to participate in the African mission.

Candidates must have French skills at least at the B2 level meet the standard requirements to be accepted into active service. Previous active service or completed conscript service as well as experience working and living in a French-speaking environment is a definite plus.

Estonia will likely participate in Operation Barkhane, a counterinsurgency mission in Africa led by the French. In exchange, the French will deploy a unit of their own military to Estonia as part of the British-led NATO battle group stationed in Tapa.

Defence Minister Jüri Luik is meeting French defense minister Florence Parly on Tuesday. The meeting will focus on strengthening defense cooperation, topics to be discussed also include possibilities to intensify cooperation regarding military operations.

French and Estonian military personnel previously worked together in the Central African Republic and Mali. The meeting will also discuss Estonia's joining of Operation Barkhane.

The counterinsurgency mission in the Sahel region has been ongoing since 2014. The headquarters of the operation are located in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad. Approximately 3,000 French troops are deployed there. The United Kingdom announced last week that it is also planning to join.