After Niger, the French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu went to Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday July 16, where he met President Alassane Ouattara and his Defense counterpart. Côte d’Ivoire is home to a French military base, as well as the International Counter-Terrorism Academy. It is therefore an important partner for action in the Sahel, particularly in the review of its French military posture and the withdrawal of the Barkhane force in Mali.
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Sidy Yansane
Accompanied by the French Chief of Defense Staff Thierry Burkhard, the French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu began his visit with a meeting with Téné Birahima Ouattara, his Defense counterpart.
The opportunity to review the military cooperation between the two countries, which notably gave birth to the Jacqueville International Counter-Terrorism Academy, inaugurated last year. The Ivorian Minister of Defense was also in Paris this week, to attend the donors’ conference in order to finalize the second phase of the site intended to train soldiers in the sub-region.
The French Minister then spoke with President Alassane Ouattara, before ending his stay with a visit to the historic French base at Port-Bouëtand its thousand soldiers.
This whirlwind visit was part of the redefinition of French military strategy in the Sahel. President Emmanuel Macron now wants his troops to serve as support for the African armies, which will have to conduct field operations themselves.
With the forthcoming withdrawal of the Barkhane force in Mali, the objective is to change perception populations, some of whom retain the image of a conquering France on the continent. The General Staffs have until the fall to revise the French military system in Africa in order to respond effectively to the jihadist danger which is dangerously spreading to countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea.
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