President Emmanuel Macron of France will meet West African
leaders on Sunday in Mali to discuss support for a new 5,000-strong
multinational force meant to counter a growing threat from terror groups
including Boko Haram and al-Qaida.
Heads of state from five nations across Africa’s vast Sahel
region have called for a new regional force after terrorists targeted tourist resorts
and other high-profile areas in the region especially in Mali.
The visit is Macron’s second to Mali in a month and a half
which defines his hard-stand against terrorism especially those linked to
al-Qaida in the region.
It would be recalled that the U.N. Security Council in June
approved the deployment of the new force with troops from Mali, Burkina Faso,
Mauritania, Niger and Chad after at least five people were killed in an attack
on a Mali resort popular with foreigners.
Reports suggest that funding of the new force meant to be
operational in the next few months will be the major focus of the meeting.
On inauguration, the new force will operate in the region
along with a 12,000-strong U.N peacekeeping mission in Mali which has been
adjudged the deadliest in the world.
It is believed that European countries, including Germany as
well as U.S., will contribute to the establishment of the new force as Macron
announces on Sunday his support for the force, both financial and in terms of
equipment.
Terror attacks have grown out of proportion in Mali which
led to a French-led intervention that drove out Islamic extremists from
strongholds in northern Mali in 2013, but the extremists have continued
targeting peacekeepers and other forces.
Unfortunately aid group “Doctors Without Borders” announced
on Thursday it was suspending activities in northern Mali’s Kidal region
because of security concerns.
It would be recalled extremist groups Ansar Dine,
Al-Mourabitoun and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, declared in March that they
had merged into Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen.
The development caused more panic in the region with the
call for the new force.
Daily Trust
