Title: International meeting for security in the Sahel: urgent mobilization to fight terrorism
Introduction :
The day after the climate summit, France brought together around twenty leaders to accelerate the implementation of the new G5 Sahel joint force, with the aim of responding to the security emergency in the region. This support meeting, initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to strengthen political, military and financial mobilization in favor of the G5 Sahel. The objective is to counter the military and symbolic victories won by terrorist groups in the Sahel in recent months.
A quick call to action:
The support meeting brings together the heads of state of the G5 Sahel (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania), as well as international partners such as the UN, the African Union, the European Union and several leading countries. plan such as Germany, Italy, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The objective is to increase mobilization in terms of military resources, financing and political support.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, underlines the urgency of the situation and the need to accelerate actions to reverse the trend. It is crucial to mobilize the necessary resources in order to structure and strengthen military cooperation between the countries concerned.
The G5 Sahel joint force: an adapted response to security challenges
The G5 Sahel joint force, launched at the start of the year, aims to form a unit of 5,000 soldiers from the five member countries by mid-2018. It already has a headquarters in Mali and carried out its first operation in the “three borders” zone. Its main objective is to secure areas where extremist groups operate before melting into the vast Sahelian desert.
By combining military and political efforts, the G5 Sahel joint force represents a new generation of African forces, adapted to asymmetric conflicts and terrorist threats. However, despite a stated desire to contribute financially, the G5 Sahel member countries face difficulties in raising the necessary funds, being among the poorest in the world.
A call for international solidarity:
International contributions so far have been mixed, with pledges of aid from the European Union, France, G5 Sahel member countries and Saudi Arabia. The United States also pledged $60 million in bilateral aid. However, it is necessary to reach the 250 million euros needed in the short term, as well as the 400 million euros for the full exercise of the joint force.
The support meeting will be complemented by a summit in Brussels in February, opening the possibility of wider participation from African countries such as Senegal and Algeria, which play a key role in the region.
Conclusion :
As the terrorist threat intensifies in the Sahel, the support meeting for the implementation of the G5 Sahel joint force marks a crucial step in the fight against terrorism and the security of the region. However, it is necessary to quickly mobilize financial resources and intensify cooperation between member countries and international partners in order to reverse the trend and ensure long-term security in the Sahel.