By RFIPosted on 11-12-2019Modified on 11-12-2019 at 04:41

After Niger, France's special envoy for the Sahel, Christophe Bigot, was received in audience on Tuesday (December 10th) by Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, known as IBK, to whom he handed an official invitation from the French president to attend the Pau meeting scheduled for December 16th.

The Koulouba Palace, headquarters of the Malian presidency located on the heights of Bamako, told RFI was satisfied with the interview that went " well ", and that messages from both sides were passed .

In Emmanuel Macron's letter to President IBK - which RFI was able to consult - things are clear: it is not a convocation. Nevertheless, Bamako was quite irritated by the tone used by President Macron in front of the press. " But we have to go ahead with the partner, with our French friends, " says a colleague of President IBK.

On December 16 in the French city of Pau, the format will be "1+ 4". That is to say, each head of state will be present with his Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, his Chief of Defense Staff and his Chief of Intelligence.

According to our information, on Tuesday, all the presidents of the G5 countries have agreed in principle to move except, for the moment, the Chadian Idriss Deby, because of a distinguished host he must receive almost at the same date.

" The five heads of state want to be together, " said a source close to the issue. At the next meeting in Pau, a date to deliver military equipment to the G5 countries could be announced.

For its part, Mali will pose the problem of the Malian city of Kidal, still in the hands of former rebels. " Paris is totally in agreement ", it is said in the entourage of the Malian president. A calendar for the return of the Malian army on the spot is emerging. Other topics on the table in Pau: the new role of the Barkhane force and that of the European Special Forces in the Sahel.

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