Serious questions remain over G5 Sahel military force

France is pushing for regional military support in the Sahel, but the proposed force risks causing more harm than good.

With Malian, UN, and French forces in the region under almost-daily attacks from an al-Qaeda-linked militant coalition, France was seeking to operationalise existing plans for regional military support. Paris pushed hard in June 2017 for UN Security Council authorisation for a joint Sahelian military force, part of the EU-supported G5 Sahel comprised of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Stabilising Mali - why Europe must look beyond technicalities http://www.europeansources.info/record/stabilising-mali-why-europe-must-look-beyond-technicalities/

EurActiv, 03.06.17: Macron in Mali for diplomatic push on Sahel anti-jihadist force https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/macron-in-mali-for-diplomatic-push-on-sahel-anti-jihadist-force/

AL Jazeera, 02.07.17: Macron in Mali for talks with leaders of Africa's Sahel http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/macron-mali-talks-leaders-africa-sahel-170702100325671.html

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