French President Emmanuel Macron, in Mali to meet with the French forces of Operation Barkhane, entered into the continuity of French action in the Sahel, after meeting with Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

In the footsteps of François Hollande … accelerating the pace. French President Emmanuel Macron, on Friday, 19 May, told his Malian counterpart Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta “the determination of France that will continue to be committed to your side” in the fight against terrorism. A promise made on the occasion of his first displacement on the African continent which satisfied the Malian leader.

Emphasizing the sovereignty of the states of the region, the new head of state even assured that ”  Operation Barkhane will stop only when there will be no more Islamist terrorists in the region” . “Stopping before all of these terrorist groups are eradicated, is creating the conditions for a recovery in a few years,” he justified at a press conference.

“Very, very good conversation,” Mali’s President welcomed. Very good contact. President Macron is a man of exquisite courtesy and absolute possession of records. I think he knows what he’s talking about. There is no comparison to be made, President Macron said it himself, it is the continuation of beautiful invoice of what was undertaken in 2013 by President François Hollande, “he declared In exclusivity to France 24.

This visit to Mali is a milestone for Emmanuel Macron. He had announced that in case of victory, he would go as soon as possible to the French troops engaged on the ground in the fight against terrorism.

Emmanuel Macron met with Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on the state of affairs in the country and region, before going to the 3,500 French soldiers in Operation Barkhane – who succeeded Operation Serval in 2014. Of the Sahel.

“Maybe a third World War”

The Malian leader acknowledged at the joint press conference the gravity of the situation, comparing his country to one of the main “battlefields of what is perhaps a third world war that does not mean its Name “.

“The problem is far from being resolved, because the nature of the danger has changed,” said Jean-Karim Fall, international affairs specialist in France 24. He recalled that after four years of French military involvement in the field , Terrorist groups have “swarmed all over the country after being driven out of the cities of the north of the country”.

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