Several senior US State Department officials have just returned from a trip to West Africa. This included assessing the needs of coastal countries in the fight against terrorism.
Faced with the jihadist threat in West Africa, the Americans will put their hands in their pockets. Not temporarily, but over the long term. Objective: to help Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin ” because of the capabilities of those governments that have never faced such a threat “, said Friday, April 8, Michael Heath, Secretary of State in charge of the sub-region.
For him, the threat to these three countries is ” budding and Washington is evaluating the tools they need. ” The north of these territories has limited resources. We want to help governments that are most interested in a holistic approach and good governance “Said Gregory LoGerfo, in charge of terrorism at the State Department.
These remarks come following the announcement made by Kamala Harris in March. In Ghana, the American vice-president promised 100 million dollars over ten years to strengthen the resilience of coastal regions in West Africa, an aid not necessarily centered on the military. The State Department, for example, insists on the need to strengthen the legal arsenal to help distinguish between refugees fleeing the Sahel and security threats.
It is a support in any case which is not necessarily foreign to the presence of the Russian paramilitaries of Wagner who extend their influence. ” They are not in these countries, but they take advantage of instability wherever they find it “said Michael Heath.
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