The decision, which entails the departure within a few months of some 2,500 French soldiers still present in the country, was announced Thursday morning by Emmanuel Macron, in connection with the European and African partners engaged in the Sahel in the fight. against jihadists.
by, Elise Vincent and Philippe Ricard
To leave Mali, where the conditions of the anti-terrorism control are no longer combined, to better stay in Sahel and adapt to the evolutions of the jihadist threat in West Africa. This is how the Elysee warrants, in close consultation with its African and European partners, the choice to withdraw from Malian territory while reorganizing its action in the region to curb a danger that extends to coastal countries. ‘West Africa. The proposed redeployment must be submitted Thursday, February 17, at a press conference of Emmanuel Macron with Senegalese and Ghanaian presidents, Macky Sall and Nana Akufo-Addo, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.
The decision to withdraw from Mali was finalized Wednesday, February 16, after a dinner gathering around Emmanuel Macron the representatives of about twenty countries, Africans and Europeans, associated with “the fight against the terrorism in the Sahel “. The Presidents of Niger and Chad were present, as did the Head of the Italian Government and several leaders of Central Europe or the Baltic Countries, associated with the “Takuba” force, the coalition of European special forces that shoulder the Malian army . If the discussions had been prepared upstream, they lasted until the early morning between diplomatic advisers to finalize a joint statement.
This two-page text, signed by the leaders on Wednesday in Paris as well as Canada, first makes the observation that engagement in Mali is no longer possible. “Due to the multiple obstructions of the Malian transitional authorities, Canada and the European states operating alongside Operation Barkhane and the Task Force Takuba believe that political, operational and legal conditions are no longer met to continue effectively. Their current military commitment in the fight against terrorism in Mali and have therefore decided to start the coordinated withdrawal of the Malian territory of their respective military means dedicated to these operations, “says the document. “In close coordination with the neighboring States, they also expressed their willingness to remain engaged in the region, in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures,” said, altogether once again the junta in power in Bamako Organize free elections.
The withdrawal is therefore acted, without any maturity being specified. The announced redeployment should take several months, and in the first place the French forces, sent on the spot in 2013 at the request of Mali, and the Takuba mission. By then, military cooperation with the Malian army should continue. Similarly, the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Mali (MINUSMA) and the European Training Operation of Malian soldiers EUTM are maintained. Finally, the signatory States agree to continue their commitment to other countries in the region, depending on their requests, and in accordance with the institutional constraints of each. Several European leaders must refer to their Parliament before committing.
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