French Minister Says West Africa’s Security Woes Now Region’s Own

France’s state minister for Francophone affairs, Thani Mohamed-Soilihi, has declared that addressing insecurity in West Africa “no longer concerns us,” marking a sharp break with past policy. Mohamed-Soilihi made this comment during a recent trip to South Africa, where he was attending a Group of 20 event. This comes just a week after France handed over control of its last military base in the region. Over the past three years, France has withdrawn its once substantial forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after a wave of military coups led to the collapse of governments that were friendly to Paris. Mohamed-Soilihi said France will now seek non-military ways to engage with former African partners. He also stated that Paris will not intervene in security matters in nations with which it has severed ties.

Reuters