Paris had already planned to reduce the presence of its own units of the Barkhane force in Mali. Asked whether this presence was going to be further reduced until it was completely withdrawn, Gabriel Attal pointed out on Tuesday that Paris had “gradually reduced the airfoil, and we will continue to do so”.
Mali expels the French ambassador: “There is a gradual isolation of the country. We will continue to fight against terrorism”, says Gabriel Attal, government spokesperson pic.twitter.com/bBQ9ZLn9UP
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) February 1, 2022
The partner countries of the European special forces group Takuba will “work by mid-February” to adapt their system in Mali, in view of the “gradual isolation” of this country led by a junta, added Gabriel Attal, before declaring: “What is certain is that the situation cannot remain as it is. So by mid-February we will work with our partners to see what is the evolution of our presence on the spot “and” to plan an adaptation “.
Discussions with the Malian government are “made very difficult”
France “adapts its presence to focus it on the fight against terrorism”, recalled Gabriel Attal, but “it is not a Franco-French subject, not a Franco-French intervention”, and “the ‘we do what ?” “Now, we are not going to decide it alone,” he explained. The dismissal of the French ambassador on Monday, of which Paris “took note”, “is an additional step in the isolation shown by this junta”, insisted Gabriel Attal, who judged that the discussions with the Malian government are ” made very difficult”. And “we are not about to see the elections” in Mali, with the postponement decided by the junta, which now provides for a transition of five years.
The Coalition for the Sahel brings together all the countries and institutions (G5 Sahel, Europeans, EU, UN, etc.) involved in the Sahel, whether in the fight against terrorism, the training of local armies or development. It was launched at the Pau summit in January 2020 by the member states of the G5 Sahel (Mali, Mauritania, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso) and its international partners in order to provide a response that goes beyond the military framework alone to the challenges of region.