After more than eight years of massive engagement, Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday a reduction in the French military presence in the Sahel, marked by the closure of bases and a re-articulation of the anti-jihadist fight around an "international alliance" associating Europeans. The announcement, which was expected but nonetheless shattering, comes as Mali, a key country in the region, has experienced a second coup in less than a year, which has strained relations between Paris and France. Bamako and questioned the French presence there. "We are going to initiate a profound transformation of our military presence in the Sahel", declared the French president during a press conference, in reference to the 5,100 soldiers deployed within the framework of the French force Barkhane.
This transformation will involve "the end of Operation Barkhane as an external operation" and "the implementation of an international alliance associating the States of the region and all our partners, strictly focused on the fight against terrorism", he added.
Concretely, France wants to stop securing large areas where states are unable to maintain a foothold, and will focus on the targeted fight against jihadists with its special forces.
The president did not give any figures in terms of staff but spoke of a reduction in “rights of way”, that is to say the number of French bases in the region.
Read alsoSahel: why Emmanuel Macron stops Operation Barkhane
By 2023, the French workforce should be around 2,500 people, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP. “The number of remaining French soldiers has not been stopped, maybe a few thousand. There will remain a significant presence ", according to the Elysee Palace, which adds that a departure from northern Mali could occur" on the horizon of autumn ". Paris is therefore counting on the “internationalization” of the combat support effort of local, under-equipped and under-trained forces. The fight against jihadists will be "with special forces structured around (the European operation) Takuba with obviously a strong French component - with several hundred more soldiers - and African, European, international forces", also specified Mr. Macron.
"We cannot suffer from ambiguity"
France has achieved tangible successes against the Islamic State in the Great Sahara (EIGS) and the organizations affiliated to Al-Qaeda grouped together within the GSIM (Support Group for Islam and Muslims), without however halting the jihadist spiral. .
As the 2022 presidential election approaches, this long-term military effort also raises growing questions in France, as 50 soldiers have been killed in action since 2013.
The situation has become more complicated in recent weeks with the brutal death of President Idriss Déby in Chad, and especially the second coup d'état in nine months in Mali, the central country of Operation Barkhane, which led Paris to suspend its operations. with the Malian forces. The French president deplored that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) "recognized" Colonel Assimi Goïta as president of the transition in Mali, after a second putsch by the person in nine months.
Emmanuel Macron conditioned the resumption of military operations with the Malian forces on “clear” commitments from the transitional authorities not only in terms of the electoral calendar but also of non-dialogue with jihadist groups. “We cannot suffer from ambiguity. We cannot conduct joint operations with powers that decide to discuss with groups which, alongside that, shoot our children, ”he said. “No dialogue and compromise”.