President Macron's decision on the reinforcement of the French military presence in Sahel focused on deploying a unit of 220 soldiers in support of the anti-terrorist, multi-national operation "Barkhane". It replaced the operation "Serval" provoked in 2013 by a series of centrifugal activities by the Tuareg, channeling their efforts to a secession from the Malian state, and Islamic fundamentalist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. As a leader of the stabilization process in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Region, widely known as Western Africa, France aims reinforcing local efforts taken mainly by the G5 Sahel countries, as well as by the UN and the UE.
KBN Commentary no. 4 (59) / 2020
12 March 2020
President Macron's decision on the reinforcement of the French military presence in Sahel focused on deploying a unit of 220 soldiers in support of the anti-terrorist, multi-national operation "Barkhane". It replaced the operation "Serval" provoked in 2013 by a series of centrifugal activities by the Tuareg, channeling their efforts to a secession from the Malian state, and Islamic fundamentalist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. As a leader of the stabilization process in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Region, widely known as Western Africa, France aims reinforcing local efforts taken mainly by the G5 Sahel countries, as well as by the UN and the UE.
Given the crucial involvement of the US Army, especially the USAFRICOM, in military logistic, ISR system and peace-building measures in fragile countries (e.g., Mauretania) France has depended on the US government's various activities and implementation of its global strategy. The latter has been discussed recently in Washington in terms of a paradigm shift, from the war on international terrorism to the great powers’ competition. This has led to a considerable confusion and caused a deep concern of the French authorities. What is more, the rising influence of China and Russia in Western Africa potentially endanger the French program of building a stable union of the local nations capable to prevent their citizens from political radicalism, poverty and the lack of sustainable development.
In the photo: A joint patrol of the French Foreign Legion and Mali’s government forces, Mali, March 2018.
Source: Foreign Legion Info, http://foreignlegion.info/2018/03/29/foreign-legion-overseas-deployments-2018/ (accessed on 4 March 2020).