Heavy Gunfire Reported at Burkina Faso Military Base
TimeNov 25, 2021
France Prepares Future Strategy Ahead of Mali Withdrawal
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Image copyright: Reuters [via Al Jazeera]
The Facts
France's Foreign and Defense Ministers will travel to Niger on Fri. to discuss a new strategy to counter armed groups in the Sahel as Paris plans to complete its withdrawal from Mali by the end of summer amid concerns over the country's security.
A regional redeployment is likely to be sealed, turning Niger into France's hub in the Sahel with around 1K troops in the capital city Niamey and up to 400 dispatched for special operations in regions bordering Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Local resentment, as well as diplomatic and military failures, only increased despite Macron claiming his administration deepened ties in the region. West African affairs have been disrupted for decades by the West, and this French transfer of troops from one country to another will only spread destabilization.
Pro-establishment narrative
At the request of West African leaders, France has stepped up to aid their allies in the region not just through military assistance, but to educate the countries' youth and build stronger ties between the aging political leadership and younger generations. France continues to be a strong, peacebuilding partner in the Sahel.
