(credit: defense.gouv.fr) French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin and France’s Armed Forces Minister Tuesday pledged cooperation in fighting terrorism in the troubled AFRICA Sahel region. The two high-ranking defense officials met in Brussels, Belgium while attending the NATO Summit, according to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby. The leaders expressed concern over instability in the Sahel and reaffirmed U.S. and French commitment to counterterrorism efforts in the region. Last week , French President Emmanuel Macron caused an uproar after he warned last week that France will pull its troops out of Mali if it embraces radical Islamism following the second coup in nine months. France has some 5,100 troops in the Sahel with the U.S. providing much-needed intelligence, logistic and drone support.
The French military Operation Barkhane has been in the forefront in the war against Islamist militancy since 2014. It is beyond comprehension how President Macron could abandon Mali and the Sahel, leaving the region at the mercy of violent extremists. Mali coup leader Col. Assimi Goita was sworn in Monday as president of a transitional government. Macron told Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper that he had told regional leaders that France would not support countries where there was no democratic legitimacy or transition, and that France had no intention of keeping its troops in Africa forever, according to BBC News. If France walks away from the Sahel, the entire region could come under the influence of Islamist militants.
“Bruxelles. Entretien avec mon homologue SecDe Llyod Austin ce matin. Nombreux sujets abordés, OTAN, Sahel et soutien aux forces libanaises notamment. Notre coopération opérationnelle reste à un niveau exceptionnel.”
-Florence Parly via Twitter
Great meeting this morning with @florence_parly, @AKK, and @BWallaceMP for the first Euro Quad Defense Ministerial since 2014. We followed up on yesterday’s @NATO Summit, and we discussed how we will adapt to face increasing regional and global security challenges. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/L8xBQrQvLd
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 15, 2021
“The two also reaffirmed the strength and importance of the bilateral relationship between the United States and France. The leaders discussed a number of issues including the NATO Summit, security and stability in Africa, and the situation in Lebanon. They affirmed the importance of coordinating efforts to assist our mutual partner, the Lebanese Armed Forces.”
-Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby
