The Sahel countries are preparing for a long war against terrorism.
Defense leaders affirm strengthening joint force
Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
The President of Burkina Faso and head of the Alliance of Sahel States, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, received the defense ministers of the member states of the Alliance, during a meeting held on Friday morning in the capital, Ouagadougou, to discuss ways to enhance the operational capabilities of the joint military force.
The meeting was attended by General Salifou Modi, Minister of State and Minister of National Defense of Niger; Major General Oumar Diarra, Minister Delegate for Defense of Mali; and Major General Célestin Simporé, Minister of State and Minister of War and National Defense of Burkina Faso.
Major General Célestin Simporé, spokesperson for the ministerial delegation, affirmed that the meeting comes within the framework of following up on the implementation of the second-year roadmap for the G5 Sahel, pointing out that discussions are focused on enhancing the efficiency of the joint force and developing its field performance.
He explained that the meeting also aims to review the basic organizational documents to ensure the proper functioning of the joint forces, in addition to working on providing a structured legal framework that is consistent with the nature of their tasks in confronting security challenges.
He added that the defense ministers were keen to meet with President Ibrahim Traoré to receive his guidance on the next phase, in light of the evolving security situation in the region, emphasizing that the discussions included an assessment of developments in the union's member states.
Simbore pointed out that the President of the G5 Sahel stressed the need to intensify efforts to combat terrorism and strengthen national sovereignty, noting that the current challenges require preparedness for a long and complex war.
Regarding the recent attacks in Mali, the spokesperson affirmed that the situation is under control, both in Mali and in the rest of the Union's countries, with continued joint coordination to confront security threats.
