The withdrawal of French soldiers in Mali on the table.

French President Emmanuel Macron will convene a mini-summit on Wednesday evening with several African and European leaders, the Elysee Palace and the government spokesman announced on Tuesday.

On the agenda of this meeting: the military presence in the Sahel, in particular in Mali, in the context of the fight against terrorism, while Paris and its European partners could announce their withdrawal from Mali, under pressure from the junta in power in Bamako.

Announcements “will then be made quickly,” said Gabriel Attal.

The status quo is "not possible in a very degraded context in Mali, with the seizure of power by a junta, the refusal to apply a timetable for the return to democratic order which had nevertheless been announced and the recourse to a Russian private militia,” said the government spokesman after the Council of Ministers.

The question of troop withdrawal remains “open”

"It is not a Franco-Malian subject", "we have Europeanized our presence in the Sahel with the support of ten European countries which have come to join us", "it is in this work of consultation with all its partners that decisions must be made,” he added.

On a possible withdrawal from Mali, "the question is open, it is not settled," said the Elysée.

But all the countries “are concerned about the headlong rush of the Malian transitional authorities” and express “increasing skepticism to maintain their commitment” in the country.

However, there is "a collective desire to remain committed over the long term to the Sahel", whose countries are "requesting more support and partnership", according to the presidency.

Who will attend the summit?

The presidents of the G5 Sahel countries were invited to the Elysee Palace: Niger, Chad and Mauritania, with the exception of Mali and Burkina Faso, suspended from the bodies of the African Union following military attacks. State.

Also present will be the leaders of West African countries, in particular those bordering the Gulf of Guinea (Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin), facing a growing terrorist threat.

On the European side, the Elysée will welcome the Presidents of the European Council Charles Michel and of the Commission Ursula Von der Leyen, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, as well as the leaders of the countries participating in or supporting the various operations on the ground such as Takuba (special forces), EUTM (military training) or the UN mission Minusma.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will be present, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not.

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