Côte d’Ivoire: H.E Kandia Camara will welcome her French counterpart Catherine Colonna in Abidjan
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is expected Friday and Saturday in Côte d’Ivoire, where she will discuss, among other things, the issue of security and the fight against terrorism in the region.
The France, which still deploys some 3,000 troops to the Sahel after counting up to 5,500 men, has officially ended its anti-jihadist operation Barkhane. In early November, French President Emmanuel Macron gave himself another six months to finalize his new strategy in Africa.”In recent months, since the announcement of the end of Operation Barkhane in Mali, we have been reflecting and consulting on the reorganization of our military and security approach in the region, our security and defense cooperation in the region,” a diplomatic source told reporters on Wednesday.
In particular, the France is considering the evolution of the status, format and missions of its military bases in the Sahel and West Africa. “This will obviously be a subject” discussed by Catherine Colonna with Ivorian officials, said the diplomatic source on Wednesday.
The Minister will meet with her Ivorian counterpart Kandia Camara, followed by a meeting with President Alassane Ouattara. On Saturday, she will meet with Defense Minister Birahima Ouattara about the evolution of the French military base.
The French Forces in Côte d’Ivoire have some 900 men, responsible for supporting and supporting operations in Central and West Africa, but also for implementing a military partnership with Abidjan.
In Côte d’Ivoire, Paris and Abidjan opened an International Counter-Terrorism Academy near Abidjan last year. “Over the past year, the Academy has trained 900 students from 26 countries. It is this kind of beautiful Franco-Ivorian projects that we would like to develop, “says one at the quay.
Miss OLY
