Mali, Africa. France’s new President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to tackle the root of terrorism by promoting the development of cooperation with American President Trump.
On an overseas mission to show his dedication to destroy terrorism,France’s new president Emmanuel Macron is praising a “crucial” and “exemplary” relationship with the United States in intelligence-sharing for military operations in Africa’s Sahel region.
During a news conference during his trip to Mali, where France leads a military intervention against Islamic extremists, Macron said that without intelligence exchanges with the United States, “we would not be able to operate in the area.”
The French leader says he will discuss defense and security issues with Trump during a working lunch at a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday. Macron says he has no doubt the cooperation will continue, given recent comments by President Donald Trump about his commitment to eradicate terrorism.
Mali’s president is warning that the French fight against extremist groups in West Africa, which he calls “an enemy with a thousand faces,” is going to be a long-term job. During a news conference with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said it isn’t possible to say when the conflict might end but added: “We are progressing, of that you can be certain.”
President Macron said in a speech to French armed forces during a visit to the West African nation that French-led military efforts aim to create the conditions of a “sustainable peace.” Macron added, France and Germany will strengthen cooperation in the coming months to fight Islamic extremists in Africa.
French President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to maintain France’s military operations in Mali and “be intractable” with extremist groups in West Africa. He is also asking Germany to provide more support to French-led efforts to eradicate them.
Macron said he spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier this week about getting more logistical support for the French-led military mission in West Africa. He said Merkel backs the idea.Macron added that the terror threat in West Africa is “clearly a risk for Europe.”