Florence Parly, who left for Niamey on Wednesday and Thursday, will assure the Nigerien authorities of “France’s infallible support in the face of the jihadist peril”, said the Ministry of the Armed Forces in a press release, without further details on its program. “The exchanges will also focus on recent political and security developments in the Sahel and West Africa and on the modalities of the evolution of the Barkhane system”, he added.
Florence Parly must also meet her counterpart Alkassoum Indattou there. This visit follows that of the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassoumi Massoudou on January 27 in Paris.
“France remains committed”
In the midst of escalating tensions with the ruling junta in Bamako, France and its European partners have announced a “reassessment” of their military presence in Mali. Paris has also reaffirmed its desire to continue its commitment to the anti-jihadist fight in the Sahel and to extend its support to neighboring countries in the Gulf of Guinea, also threatened by the jihadist push.
“France remains committed to the fight against armed terrorist groups, alongside the Sahelian forces, in close coordination with its European and American allies who participate in the Barkhane force and provide it with valuable support,” said the Ministry of the Armed Forces.