France and the G5 Sahel are continuing the same fight againstjihadism

On February 15 and 16, N’Djaména hosted the G5 Sahel summit at the invitation of Mauritania and from Chad. France participated in a video conference.

What is the G5 Sahel?

The G5 Sahel or G5S, brings together 5 Sahel states: Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Fasso, Niger and Chad. He serves for the coordination and monitoring of regional cooperation in the field of development and security. The first summit took place on February 14 and 15, 2014.

The goal of this summit is to protect states from jihadism, which has been very present in the region since 2012. States can thus fight the various terrorist organizations (Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb Islamic Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa – Al-Mourabitoune, Boko Haram). Fighting against organized crime and trafficking (drugs, weapons and human beings …) is the key goal . Since 2017, there has been a cross-border « joint force ». Climate change and demographic expansion are at the center of the concerns of heads of state.

In order to find solutions, the response must be political, military and economic to promote development. This is why France and its European and international partners have decided to engage with the Sahel States.

G5 Sahel projects and needs

– Economically, the G5 Sahel covers 40 regional projects aimed at improving infrastructure and access to resources. The total cost is 2.4 billion euros. The Sahel Alliance (Union European Union including France and Germany and institutions (the African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Program) proposed their projects. In total, 12 donors finance more than 600 projects in the area, for an amount of 9 billion euros.

– Militarily, France launched operation « Barkhane » by sending 4,500 soldiers in 2014. This is the largest foreign operation of the French army. France sent vehicles, equipment as well as advice and training for the armies of the five Sahelian countries. The UN also has sent « blue helmets » to Mali in 2013 in order to keep the peace (Mission Minusma). Since 2017, a resolution provides for operational and logistical support to the joint force. The union in 2013 sent 600 soldiers to the European Army Training Mission Malian (EUTM Mali). The aim of these operations is to cover a strip of 50 kilometers apart and other borders.

– Financially, the budget necessary for the strength of the G5 Sahel requires nearly 400 million euros. The European Union has paid 50 million euros, the 5 G5 Sahel countries, 10 million euros each. At the end of 2017, the United States pledged $ 60 million in aid. Arabia Saudi Arabia contributed $ 100 million (contribution frozen following the opening between the France and Iran). The Arab Emirates were participating with $ 30 million.

The conclusions of the Pau Summit in 2020

After criticism of France’s presence in the Sahel, this summit made it possible to know whether this presence was always accepted. Finally, France maintained this presence alongside the countries of the Sahel.

Last year, France hosted the G5 Sahel summit in Pau, shortly after the G7 in Biarritz.

He emphasized at the economic, military, educational and institutional level. The goal was to support dialogue throughout the region and promote access by the population to services basic. Creating the conditions for their autonomy was also important. In addition, there was a decline of the enemy thanks to the neutralization of the leaders and the recovery of the territories which it held. During 6 years of presence, we have seen many actions for the development of populations.

The Nouakchott Summit

In June 2020, the Nouakchott Summit (Mauritania) took place despite the health crisis. He has presented the military and diplomatic successes of France. We noted the elimination of the heads of terrorist groups, land reclamation, better intelligence sharing and redeployment of armies. The balance of power has been reversed in the face of terrorists. Forces European specials replaced the 600 French soldiers that France had sent early 2020. The training of magistrates, police prefects and judges begins at this time.

The N’Djamena Summit

While the Pau Summit insisted on the military plan, the N’Djamena Summit placed the political and development pressure. The war has been going on for 8 years and the number of human lives increased.

In the face of the jihadists, the states are weak despite the military advances. So that schools, dispensaries and development projects are resuming, governance must be restored.

Paris hopes that the results of this summit will be successful within a year, despite the difficulties of governance and the upcoming French calendar. Otherwise, France will withdraw its troops from this war. We must therefore do everything to show public opinion, in Africa, France and

Europe, the feeling that this war is winnable.

The 2 main lines of France

To alleviate its presence in the Sahel, France decided that the men of the Takuba (force European International) will gradually replace the 600 French withdrawn.

1. International action

France withdraws the 600 men sent last year. They will be replaced by reinforcements from the Chad (1,200 men) and several European countries including the special forces soldiers from Estonia, from Sweden and the Czech Republic. Denmark and Greece followed, but also the United States who maintain their logistical and intelligence support on the decision of the new president Biden, unlike his predecessor Donald Trump. The deployment of these forces enabled the defeat of armed terrorist groups in the 3 border area. However, the threat persists and vigilance and perseverance are required to eradicate the scourge in the region.

In 2021, Spain takes orders during the first half of the year with 530 people, Germany, the second part of the year with 450 people.

2. The local national armies take up the torch

Local armies are vulnerable because they are under-trained and under-equipped. In Mali, the military have taken the reins of the state, it is therefore necessary that the states resume their role. The leaders of G5S undertake to continue the effort to strengthen and modernize their defense tool against terrorism.

G5S N’Djamena conclusions

Fight against terrorism :

• Results recorded against armed terrorist groups (GAT)

• Neutralization of the executives of the Al Qaeda high command in the Islamic Maghreb(AQIM)

• Level, never reached, of coordination between national armies, the Barkhane Force and the FC-G5S,

• Increased military engagement of European partners in the Sahel, increased strength of the Task Force Takuba

Strengthening the military capacities of G5Sahel Member States

• Progress made in the operationalization of the FC-G5S

• Need to place all FC-G5S contingents under operational command direct from the Joint Force Commander, capacity building of the force in air, logistics and intelligence resources.

• Thanks to the EU for its decisive support to the FC-G5S

• Call from the G5 Sahel, the African Union (AU), the EU and its member states for support increased from the United Nations (UN) to the FC-G5S to allow the continuation of its operational ramp-up.

• Efforts made by the AU, ECOWAS and UEMOA in support of the G5 Sahel States. Welcome re-election of Moussa Faki Mahamat as head of the AU Commission

• Continuation of training and advice efforts for the benefit of the national armed forces of G5 Sahel countries.

• Continuation of the effort to strengthen and modernize their defense tool.

• Call for strengthening coordination between the G5Sahel countries and the riparian countries of Gulf of Guinea facing the risk of an extension of the terrorist threat. Efforts commended for operationalization of the 2020-2024 ECOWAS action plan to eradicate the terrorism.

Support for the deployment of the State, administrations and basic social services

• Return of the State, administrations and services to the populations; state consolidation of law and good governance. They will guarantee lasting peace, meet the needs current populations, will stabilize the G5 Sahel countries and will sustainably roll back the GAT.

• Call for an acceleration of the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (APR) in Mali.

• Strengthening of the mandates of civil CSDP missions EUCAP Sahel Niger (May 2020) and EUCAP Sahel Mali (December 2020).

• Importance of ensuring the redeployment of administrations and basic services in favor of populations.

• Development of ambitious interministerial strategies, implementation of mechanisms national political leadership at the highest level.

• Short-term commitment to enable Operation ECLIPSE, led by FC-G5S and its partners, to initiate the redeployment of the administration and public services. She can serve as an example of effective civil-military cooperation to ensure the presence in the duration of the state.

• Deployment of basic services to populations, with a view to stabilization and more strong coordination in this area with the Sahel Alliance.

• Importance of continuing and encouraging inclusive inter-community dialogue and reconciliation efforts.

Addressing the root causes of insecurity

• Strengthening of development actions, made possible by the Sahel Alliance.

• Implementation of an integrated territorial approach (ATI). Satisfaction with the decisions adopted during the 2nd General Assembly of the Sahel Alliance.

• Recognition of the important contribution of other technical and financial partners, expressed in particular within the framework of the financing conference of the Program of Priority Investment (PIP) of the G5 Sahel, in Nouakchott, in December 2018. Hi to the support provided to G5 Sahel member countries by member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its institutions including the IDB.

• Mobilization of the international community during the Roundtable on the situation humanitarian aid in the central Sahel.

• Mobilization of the international community, on the occasion of the One Planet Summit (11 January 2021 in Paris) to speed up the implementation of the Great Green Wall initiative. It will help support the fight against the effects of climate change and desertification in the Sahelo-Saharan strip.

• Women are the first victims of conflicts and insecurity

Establishment of the Coalition for the Sahel

• Operationalization of the Secretariat of the Coalition for the Sahel (SCS) and appointment of its High Representative, Djimé Adoum. Importance of creating legal conditions and statute enabling high-level advocacy.

• Progress observed in the transfer of the SCS to Brussels, thanks to financial support from the France, the EU and the Czech Republic. Provision of staff already announced by France, Canada and Spain.

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