Macron’s first non-Europe trip focuses on extremism
French president in Mali to assess West Africa operations
GAO, MALI // On his first official trip outside Europe, new French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday highlighted his determination to defeat extremism with a visit to French-led military forces combating terrorist groups in West Africa.
The threat in the region is “clearly a risk for Europe”, he said. Mr Macron was greeted by Malian counterpart Ibrahim Boubacar Keita at an airbase in the eastern city of Gao, home to France’s largest overseas military operation. Mr Macron promised to maintain France’s military presence in Mali and “be intractable” with extremist groups. He also asked Germany to provide more support to French- led efforts to beat the extremists. Mr Macron said he spoke to German chancellor Angela Merkel earlier this week about more logistical support and said Mrs Merkel backed the idea.
Mr Keita expressed his gratitude to France for its military intervention that began in 2013 after extremist groups overran the country’s vast northern region. The groups were quickly pushed from strongholds but remain a threat.
“The road is long ... but we are going forward and we will succeed,” Mr Keita said. Mr Macron repeatedly pledged ahead of the May 7 election that fighting terrorism would be his priority, after attacks in France since 2015 that killed more than 230 people.
Most of the West African extremist groups France is combating trace their origins to Al Qaeda’s North Africa branch.
France’s Operation Barkhane has about 4,000 soldiers in Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. Gao is home of the permanent French military base in Mali, with 1,600 troops.
Gao is where a suicide attack on a Malian army camp killed more than 75 people in January. That attack, claimed by the Al Qaeda- linked Al Mourabitoun extremist group, happened days after former French president Francois Hollande visited the city.
The victims were soldiers and former fighters trying to stabilise the region after a 2015 agreement with the government.
The attack was a major blow to peace efforts in northern Mali, where rival groups have been vying for control or outright independence.
“I don’t think Macron’s arrival will change anything to our daily life,” said Ousmane Maiga, a resident of Gao. “Macron comes to see the French soldiers but not us.” Another resident, Mohamed Gaiga, said he wanted Mr Macron “to put an end to the massacre of Malians. France has the military and political power to bring back peace in Mali, but we observe that even groups that signed the peace agreement are still fighting each other”.
‘ The road is long ... but we are going forward and we will succeed Ibrahim Boubacar Keita President of Mali