France says West Africa's security no longer its concern as Military cooperation ends
France officially ended its military engagement in West Africa amid growing insecurity in the Sahel region.
France's withdrawal followed significant anti-French sentiment and military coups in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
The French government seeks alternative, non-military approaches for maintaining relations in former colonies.
Thani Mohamed-Soilihi, France's Minister Delegate for Francophone Affairs and International Partnerships, made this point during a phone briefing with journalists in South Africa while attending G20 development discussions.
When asked by Reuters about the implications of France's military exit from the Sahel amid growing insecurity, Mohamed-Soilihi stated, "I'm sorry to say, but it no longer concerns us."
He then added, " That's a shame, because everyone can see the difference between now and then."
However, he also mentioned that the French government is "looking for other ways to maintain ties that are not necessarily military," suggesting a shift in approach.
France ends African military operations
His comments come just a week after France officially handed over its last major military base in the Sahel, marking a significant turning point in its decades-long military presence in former colonies.
In these territories, France had previously fought jihadist insurgents, intervened in political crises, and in some cases, supported or reversed coups.
Between 2022 and 2024, France steadily dismantled its long-standing military footprint in West Africa, withdrawing its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following military coups and rising anti-French sentiment.
In November 2024, Chad, one of France's last key partners in the region, ended its security cooperation agreement with Paris.
The Sahel area, stretching from Senegal to Sudan, remains one of the most unstable in Africa, with jihadist violence spreading towards Southern Africa and destabilizing some West African nations. Over a decade of insurgency has displaced millions and driven a deepening humanitarian crisis, while recent months have seen some of the deadliest attacks on record.
France's latest posture signals a shift toward diplomatic and non-military forms of engagement in Africa, an approach major powers like the US and China have also adopted in their recent relations with African nations.
Mohamed-Soilihi emphasized that France will continue to engage with countries that seek cooperation, but without a military role.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
6 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump trade deal with EU leaves Europe relieved − and worried
The Europe trade deal will see the U.S. impose a 15% import tariff on most EU goods − half the threatened rate but much more than Europeans hoped for. BRUSSELS − European governments and companies reacted with both relief and concern on Monday to the framework trade deal struck with President Donald Trump, acknowledging what was seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoided a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on July 27 between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the U.S. impose a 15% import tariff on most EU goods − half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. More: Trump and EU reach trade deal ahead of looming deadline "As we await full details of the new EU–U.S. trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." Trump said the deal, including an investment pledge topping the $550 billion deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of U.S. exporters. It will bring clarity for European makers of cars, planes and chemicals. But the EU had initially hoped for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. And the 15% baseline tariff, while an improvement on the threatened rate of 30%, compares to an average U.S. import tariff rate of around 2.5% last year before Trump's return to the White House. More: Trump considers 'rebates' to US taxpayers from tariff income European Commission chief Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, told reporters on July 27 that it was "the best we could get." European stocks opened up on July 28, with the STOXX 600 at a four-month high and all other major bourses also in the green. Tech and healthcare stocks led the way. More: TACO or tariffs? Trump's big trade deadline is coming. Here's what to expect "The 15% rate is better than the market was fearing," said Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. Not the end of the story French government ministers said on July 28 that the deal had some merits − such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits − but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies, meanwhile, were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Große Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. U.S. customers are paying the tariffs," he said. Stellantis shares were up 3.5% and car parts maker Valeo jumped 4.7% while German pharma group Merck KGaA rose 2.9%, in a sign of relief for those sectors. Among the many questions that remain to be answered, however, is how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. and steeply increase energy purchases can be turned into reality. It was not immediately clear if specific pledges of increased investments were made or whether the details still must be hammered out. And while the EU pledged to make $750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years, including oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and nuclear fuel, the U.S. will struggle to produce enough to meet that demand. While U.S. LNG production capacity is due to almost double over the next four years it will still not be enough to ramp up supplies to Europe, and oil production is expected to be lower than previously forecast this year. Despite the lingering unknowns, analysts stressed the deal still helped decrease uncertainty. Oil prices rose on Monday, as did the euro. "Now that there is more clarity, you would think that not only in the United States, but around the globe, there will be a little bit more willingness to look at investment, to look at expansions, and to look at where the opportunities are," said Rodrigo Catril, senior currency strategist at National Australia Bank.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump says he is reducing 50 day deadline for Russia on war in Ukraine
By Andrew MacAskill and Andrea Shalal TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was reducing the 50-day deadline he gave Russia over its war in Ukraine, underscoring his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for prolonging fighting between the two countries. "I'm disappointed in President Putin," Trump said, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of their meeting in Scotland. "I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what's going to happen." He did not give a new deadline. Trump set the 50-day deadline earlier this month. The U.S. president has repeatedly voiced exasperation with Putin for continuing attacks on Ukraine despite U.S. efforts to end the war. Before returning to the White House in January, Trump, who views himself as a peacemaker, had promised to end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict within 24 hours. Trump has threatened new sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless an agreement is reached by early September. But the president, who has also expressed annoyance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has not always followed up on his tough talk about Putin with action, citing what he deems a good relationship that the two men have had previously. "We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," Trump said. "And I say that's not the way to do it."
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who are the winners and losers in US-EU trade deal?
The US and EU have struck what is being billed as the largest trade deal in history, after talks in Scotland. It actually resembles the framework for an agreement rather than a full trade deal, with details still unclear. But the headline figures announced by President Donald Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen do offer clues about which sectors and groups could be hit hardest or have most to gain. Follow reaction live Trump - winner After promising new trade deals with dozens of countries, Trump has just landed the biggest of them all. It looks to most commentators that the EU has given up more, with instant analysis by Capital Economics suggesting a 0.5% knock to GDP. There will also be tens of billions of dollars pouring into US coffers in import taxes. But the glowing headlines for Trump may not last long if a slew of economic data due later this week show that his radical reshaping of the US economy is backfiring. Figures on inflation, jobs, growth and consumer confidence will give a clearer picture on whether Trump's tariffs are delivering pain or gain. US consumers - loser Ordinary Americans are already aggrieved at the increased cost of living and this deal could add to the burden by hiking prices on EU goods. While not as steep as it could have been, the hurdle represented by a 15% tariff rate is still significant, and it is far more pronounced than the obstacles that existed before Trump returned to office. Tariffs are taxes charged on goods bought from other countries. Typically, they are a percentage of a product's value. So, a 15% tariff means that a $100 product imported to the US from the EU will have a $15 dollar tax added on top - taking the total cost to the importer to $115. Companies who bring foreign goods into the US have to pay the tax to the government, and they often pass some or all of the extra cost on to customers. Markets - winner Stock markets in Asia and Europe rose on Monday after news emerged of the deal framework. Under the framework, the US will levy a 15% tariff on goods imported from the EU. While this rate is significant, it is less than what it could have been and at least offers certainty for investors. The agreement is "clearly market-friendly, and should put further upside potential into the euro", Chris Weston at Pepperstone, an Australian broker, told AFP. European solidarity - loser The deal will need to be signed off by all 27 members of the EU, each of which have differing interests and levels of reliance on the export of goods to the US. While some members have given the agreement a cautious welcome, others have been critical - hinting at divisions within the bloc, which is also trying to respond to other crises such as the ongoing war in Ukraine. A big Trump win but not total defeat for Brussels French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou commented: "It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, brought together to affirm their common values and to defend their common interests, resigns itself to submission." He was joined by at least two other French government ministers as well as Viktor Orban, the Hungarian leader, who said that Trump "ate von der Leyen for breakfast". Carmakers in Germany - loser The tariff faced by importers bringing EU cars to the US has been nearly halved, from the rate of 27.5% that was imposed by Trump in April to a new rate of 15%. Cars are one of the EU's top exports to the US. And as the largest manufacturer of cars in the EU - thanks to VW, Mercedes and BMW - Germany will have been watching closely. Its leader, Friedrich Merz, has welcomed the new pact, while admitting that he would have welcomed a "further easing of transatlantic trade". That downbeat sentiment was echoed by the German carmaking trade body, the VDA, which warned that even a rate of 15% would "cost the German automotive industry billions annually". Carmakers in the US - winner Trump is trying to boost US vehicle production. American carmakers received a boost when they learned that the EU was dropping its own tariff on US-made cars from 10% to 2.5%. Theoretically that could result in more American cars being bought in Europe. That could be good for US sales overseas, but the pact is not all good news when it comes to domestic sales. That is down to the complex way that American cars are put together. Many of them are actually assembled abroad - in Canada and Mexico - and Trump subjects them to a tariff of 25% when they are brought into the US. That compares with a lower tariff rate of 15% on EU vehicles. So US car makers may now fear being undercut by European manufacturers. EU pharmaceuticals - loser There is confusion around the tariff rate that will be levied on European-made drugs being bought in the US. The EU wants drugs to be subject to the lowest rate possible, to benefit sales. Trump said pharmaceuticals were not covered by the deal announced on Sunday, under which the rate on a number of products was lowered to 15%. But von der Leyen said they were included, and a White House source confirmed the same to the BBC. Either scenario will represent disappointment for European pharma, which initially hoped for a total tariffs exemption. The industry currently enjoys high exposure to the US marketplace thanks to products like Ozempic, a star type-2 diabetes drug made in Denmark. This has been highlighted in Ireland, where opposition parties have pointed out the importance of the industry and criticised the damaging effect of uncertainty. Ireland 'not celebrating' Trump's EU deal US energy - winner Trump said the EU will purchase $750bn (£558bn, €638bn) in US energy, in addition to increasing overall investment in the US by $600bn. "We will replace Russian gas and oil with significant purchases of US LNG [liquified natural gas], oil and nuclear fuels," said Von der Leyen. This will deepen links between European energy security and the US at a time when it has been pivoting away from importing Russian gas since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Aviation industry in EU and US - winner Von der Leyen said that some "strategic products" will not attract any tariffs, including aircraft and plane parts, certain chemicals and some agricultural products. That means firms making components for aeroplanes will have friction-free trade between the huge trading blocs. She added that the EU still hoped to get more "zero-for-zero" agreements, notably for wines and spirits, in the coming days. Solve the daily Crossword
