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DERMOT MURNAGHAN: Now then, Britain is sending military aircraft to Mali to support the French in their fight against rebels there. Mr Cameron has agreed to send logistical support to transport French troops and equipment. I am joined now by the Africa Minister, Mark Simmonds, a very good morning to you Mr Simmonds. First of all, France is a mighty military nation, do they really need our help, why are we getting involved?

MARK SIMMONDS: Well we’re getting involved because we believe it’s right as a member of the Permanent Security Council, that we make a contribution.

DM: But do they need it, do they lack capability, do they not have enough aircraft themselves?

MS: The French have asked us to provide support and the Prime Minister, as he said last night, is willing to provide two C17 planes and we’re working through the detail of exactly how they’ll be deployed but the problem in Mali is significant, it’s growing. I took part in a UN meeting back in September last year where I followed speeches by President Hollande and the Secretary of State in America, Hillary Clinton, and there was political unanimity about the necessity to resolve the situation in northern Mali particularly, to bring integrity back to the Malian country, for their people but also to tackle the terrorist threat that is now gaining ground and traction in that part of Mali.

DM: People are going to ask questions like this, aren’t they? There are parallels and big differences aren’t there with for instance Syria. Here we have in Mali a government that seized power through a military coup, they have got some documented human rights abuses, they’ve been opposed by rebels containing many Islamists but we’re intervening on the side of the government and not the rebels. In Syria, if we did intervene, it would be the other way round.

MS: Well it’s not as simple as that, I’m afraid, Dermot, it’s immensely complex. There’s a group of nomads in the north east called the Tuareg people who are part of the military action earlier this year that led to the coup in March, there are also terrorist threats, Al Qaeda are based in this northern part of Mali as are another group called Ansar Dine. They’re not freedom fighters, they run a thoroughly unpleasant regime, they’re raping, sexual violence is taking place, children are being abused and brought into the military, people are having their limbs amputated, it’s really terrible, there’s abject poverty there and …

DM: But you’ve got a military government with its own human rights issues.

MS: It’s not a military government, it’s a civilian government. The military had a coup in March, they handed back over civilian power after ECOWAS, the local regional African group, put pressure on them to do so which they’ve done. The international community, both in African union level and ECOWAS and the United Nations, where two resolutions have been passed, under Chapter Seven – the last one – 2085 and made it very clear the international community need to help the people of Mali.

DM: But is this our fight? It’s a former French colony, the French seem very well equipped, able to deal with it themselves and we know that President Hollande is now saying we’ve got to tighten security at home because of increased dangers of a terrorist threat. Why open ourselves up to that as well, why do that?

MS: Well let’s be very clear, we are only providing limited logistical support in response to a French request, two planes. The Prime Minister has made very clear …

DM: Do you think that matters to the terrorists though, that they’re going to say okay two planes, we won’t try some atrocity in London or elsewhere?

MS: But the terrorists have made their plans very clear before intervention anyway and before we responded to the French request and it is absolutely right that there is a regional solution which is why ECOWAS, the regional African organisation, are going to be at the forefront of this. We may well through European Union methods provide training and support for the Malian army to give them strength to bring back the integrity of the Malian country in totality but it is absolutely essential as part of our obligation as a permanent member of the Security Council that we provide assistance when we are requested to do so.

DM: Okay, Mr Simmonds, thank you very indeed. Africa Minister, Mark Simmonds.