The G5 Sahel reaffirms its determination to continue the fight against terrorism in solidarity

G5 Sahel crest (Illustration photo) © AFP-Sebastien Rieussec

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The G5 Sahel summit, without Mali, ended at the end of the day on Monday, February 20, in Ndjamena, Chad.

This extraordinary one-day summit brought together the leaders of four countries in the Sahel region, namely the Chadian Mahamat Déby, the Nigerien Mohamed Bazoum, the Mauritanian Mohamed ould El Ghazaouani - who took over the rotating presidency of the organization - and Burkina Faso, which was represented by its Minister of Defence.

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“

Regional cooperation in matters of development and security

” was the theme of the meeting of this first G5 summit, for two years and also since the death of the former Chadian president, Idriss Déby Itno. 

In a press release, the heads of state and delegation of the G5 Sahel note that the security and humanitarian situation in the region remains worrying, despite the efforts made.

They reiterate their firm condemnation of the recurrent attacks targeting civilian populations and reaffirm their determination to pursue the fight against terrorism in solidarity.

But “ 

how to fight against terrorism in the region, when one of the main actors is absent

?

 “, worry several observers.

The G5 Sahel summit was indeed held without Mali… Bamako slammed the door of the organization a year ago, annoyed at not having been able to take over the presidency, as planned.

The organization's outgoing president, Mahamat Idriss Déby, also admitted during his speech that Mali's withdrawal is a blow for the organization, calling on the countries of the region to continue to work together and to pursue negotiations to bring Bamako back into the organization.

Another absence noticed during this summit, that of the president of the transition in Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré

,

replaced by his Minister of Defense, an absence which also casts doubt on the future participation of Ouagadougou in the joint force. G5 Sahel.

► To read also: In Ndjamena, a first G5 Sahel summit since 2021 and without Mali

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  • Chad

  • G5 Sahel

  • Mahamat Idriss Deby

  • mohamed bazoum

  • Mohamed Ould Ghazouani