France Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian (right)  with Amine Abba Sidick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chad (diplomatie.gouv.fr)

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke today with his Chadian counterpart Amine Abba Sidick regarding the political turmoil in west Africa nation Mali after the recent military coup. The substance of the talks between the two foreign ministers was not disclosed. 

“They spoke about the situation in Mali as well as joint efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel. This conversation was also an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation in the spirit of friendship that characterizes relations between France and Chad.”

-Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs  Spokesperson  Aug. 25, 2020 – Paris

Meanwhile, talks between West African mediators and Mali’s military coup leaders ended on Monday after three days of discussions without any decision on the make-up of a transitional government.  The Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS)  dispatched negotiators to Mali at the weekend in a bid to reverse President Ibrahim Keita’s removal from power last week.

FRANCE Urges That Power Be Returned Immediately  To Civilians in MALI

“As President Macron said in Brégançon on August 20, France and its European and international partners have a collective presence in Mali at the request of the sovereign people of Mali and all the countries in the region. We and our partners have asked that power be returned as swiftly as possible to civilians and for guarantees of a swift democratic transition. France stands side by side with the people of Mali, as it always has, and supports discussions under way under the auspices of ECOWAS to determine the outlines of this transition.”

-Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs  Spokesperson 

FRANCE To Continue  Military Operation Barkhane in MALI Despite  Coup

Credit: Wikipedia / 35e RAP /   French troops of the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (35e RAP) board a helicopter during a mission.

France will continue its Operation Barkhane anti-insurgent campaign in Mali’s Sahel region despite a military coup earl in the West African nation, the French defense minister said .  The surprise resignation of Mali’s President Keïta following a military mutiny  has plunged the country into political chaos. President Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were arrested and taken to a military camp near the capital Bamako.  Some 5,000 French troops are installed in the Sahel as part of France’s operation against terrorist militants there.

“Operation Barkhane, requested by the Malians and authorized by the UN Security Council, continues. French soldiers, in conjunction with European and Sahelian partners, continue to carry out their mission with professionalism, for the benefit of everyone’s security.”

-French Defense Minister Florence Parly

“In Mali, power must be returned to civilians and milestones must be laid for the return to constitutional order. President Keita, his prime minister and members of the government must be released without delay and their safety guaranteed.”

-French President Emmanuel Macron said via Twitter

Operation Barkhane is an ongoing anti-insurgent operation started on August 1, 2014 which is led by the French military against Islamist groups in Africa’s Sahel region. The roughly 5,000-strong French force is permanently headquartered in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad. The operation is lead in cooperation with five countries, and former French colonies, that span the Sahel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. These countries are collectively referred to as the “G5 Sahel”. The operation is named after a crescent-shaped dune in the Sahara desert.