Mali's conflict was to dominate talks Wednesday between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara, who heads a west African bloc due to deploy troops into the desert war.
Berlin is considering sending several military transport aircraft to support the 3,300-strong intervention force now being assembled by members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Ouattara, the current chair of ECOWAS, was due to meet Merkel at 1130 GMT in Berlin and later have talks with Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
His visit had been put on the schedule before the simmering desert conflict in northern Mali escalated last week as rebels pushed toward the southern capital Bamako and French forces intervened to stop them.
West African military chiefs met Tuesday in Bamako to discuss the ECOWAS mission. Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Benin, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Togo have all pledged troops.
Germany's deployment will likely consist of four Transall C-160s air force transporters and an Airbus A310, sources told dpa. Germany has stressed it will not send combat troops.