SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Macron urges 'greater involvement' by NATO allies in Sahel anti-jihadist fight
Paris, Nov 28 (AFP) Nov 28, 2019
President Emmanuel Macron called Thursday for France's allies to get more involved in the French-led fight against jihadist groups in the Sahel region of West Africa.

At a press conference in Paris with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Macron said "greater involvement" by NATO allies would be "wholly beneficial" and said the subject should be on the table at the NATO summit near London next week.

"I want a discussion between allies on a concrete commitment to the fight against terrorism in the Sahel and the Middle East," he said.

Macron also said France would begin a review of its Barkhane intervention in the Sahel following the death of 13 soldiers in Mali this week, with "all options on the table".

"Yesterday I held a first meeting, and I have asked the government and our armies to undertake a deep review in the coming weeks to examine the modalities of our intervention," he said.

"In this context, and in light of the decisions that France will take, a bigger engagement by its allies is obviously something that would be quite positive," he said.

Although Britain has provided helicopters and security personnel to help France's 4,500-member Barkhane force in Western Africa, and the US provides intelligence support, France has so far failed to persuade other allies to make a significant contribution.

"In the Sahel, France is involved and acting on behalf of everyone," Macron said.

"If some people want to see an example of what they term 'cost-sharing,' they can come Monday to the ceremony France is organising" for the 13 soldiers killed in a midair helicopter collision while fighting insurgents in Mali, he said.

"There they will see the cost."


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Unexpected Dust Patterns Found on Uranus Moons Confound Scientists
Earth-based telescopes offer a fresh look at cosmic dawn
Breakthrough hybrid model restores orbit accuracy for BeiDou-3 satellites

24/7 Energy News Coverage
World's first non-silicon 2D computer developed
From plastic trash to solar hydrogen a practical method emerges
Auto sector reels from China's rare earth restrictions

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
AI-enabled control system helps autonomous drones stay on target in uncertain environments
Japan says two Chinese aircraft carriers seen in Pacific
NATO learns as Ukraine's 'creativity' changes battlefield

24/7 News Coverage
'No doubt' Canadian firm will be first to extract deep sea minerals: CEO
What is the high seas treaty?
World leaders urged to step up for overexploited oceans



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.