G5 Sahel: 6th summit of heads of state in a context of increasing attacks

Mauritanian soldiers from the G5 Sahel in the south-east of the country, near the border with Mali AFP / THOMAS SAMSON

Text by: RFI Follow

The work of the 6th summit of G5 Sahel heads of state opens this Tuesday, February 25 in Nouakchott. The Mauritanian capital is also home to the general assembly of the Sahel Alliance, a coordination of part of the donors of the G5 Sahel. Two meetings which take place in a context marked by the increase in terrorist attacks in recent months.

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With our correspondent in Nouakchott, Salem Mejbour Salem

In the past five months, terrorist attacks have left hundreds of people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced among the populations of countries in the three-border sector, Mali-Niger-Burkina Faso.

A few days ago, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees deplored the massive displacement of populations who fled their regions of origin to other regions less exposed to jihadist violence in Burkina . Insecurity has also led thousands of people to leave their villages for more peaceful places in Mali.

Halting the rise of terrorism

According to a Sahelian defense expert, the Nouakchott summit must take strong action to curb the rise of terrorism in the area of ​​the three borders.

According to him, it is necessary to strengthen the military logistics of the joint force of the G5 Sahel, beyond the 46 armored vehicles recently donated by the European Union for the equipment of the military contingents of the States.

States which are following with interest the holding of another meeting, that of the Sahel Alliance which coordinates funding and determines its priorities in terms of development program.

The battle of numbers

In recent months, the G5 countries and the French force Barkhane have multiplied press releases to announce victories on the ground. On Friday, the French general staff announced in particular the "neutralization" of 120 terrorists during a joint operation in Tillabéri, in the southwest of Niger.

Accounting for the dead for the time being unverifiable and which does not correspond to the complex reality on the ground, according to Niagale Bagayoko, president of the African Security Sector Network, a network of researchers working on security.

We are in a communication battle. In addition, these press releases appear to be more and more out of step with certain orientations clearly fixed at the summit of Pau (...) These quantified victories seem to me to be out of step with the objective of protecting civilians which is mentioned in the Pau press release and which should be placed at the heart of the chosen strategy.

Niagale Bagayoko

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  • sahel
  • G5 Sahel
  • Mauritania
  • Terrorism

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