Western Diplomats Warn of Impending Disaster in Sahel

By Jeff Seldin

Western diplomats fear the spread of extremist groups and persistent economic and social problems in Western Africa and the Sahel are nearing a tipping point that could have disastrous consequences for the region and beyond.

The officials from both Europe and the United States warned Thursday that international efforts have so far failed to counter factors that are driving young people to take up arms and called for increased cooperation with countries in the region.

“The rise of violent extremism and the worsening of the humanitarian situation in the Sahel and the wider West African region is threatening the future of the entire African continent and of all of us,” European Union Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis told the virtual conference. “This is as high stakes as it gets.”

U.S. officials described the situation as no less dire.

“Despite a decade of robust international investments, the region continues to trend in the wrong direction,” said U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Michael Gonzales.

“Armed groups continue to expand their presence as well as their capabilities and their violence,” Gonzales added. “We need to address the underlying drivers of insecurity more holistically in order to turn the tide.”

The biggest concern has been Mali, where terrorists linked to groups like Islamic State and al-Qaida have continued to make inroads, and where the military government, which seized power in August 2020, postponed elections scheduled for this February until 2026.

Earlier this week, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed a series of sanctions against Mali’s interim government for refusing to hold elections as initially agreed, including the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions, and putting financial assistance on hold.

The EU on Thursday announced it would follow suit with its own sanctions against Mali’s interim government.

“Despite all the warnings that we made to the Malian authorities, we see no sign of progress on the part of these authorities,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said following a meeting with the EU defense minister in the French city of Brest.

“The risk that the situation in this country [Mali] continues to deteriorate is evident,” he said. “We will follow the situation closely.”

Borell said that despite the imposition of sanctions, EU missions to Mali to train and advise Malian armed forces will continue.

Mali’s ambassador to the United Nations decried the ECOWAS sanctions as “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane” but said the interim government remains open to additional talks with its neighbors.

Further complicating matters, European officials have raised concerns about Mali’s decision to bring in mercenaries from the Russia-based Wagner Group to bolster its security forces – a charge that Mali’s interim government has denied.

The U.S. Defense Department, while declining to confirm the reports, described the prospect as worrying.

“Given the Wagner Group’s record, any role for Russian-backed Wagner Group forces in Mali will likely exacerbate an already fragile and unstable situation,” spokesperson Cynthia King told VOA.

The U.S. suspended military training and cooperation with Mali following the August 2020 coup.

Germany, which has about 1,000 troops in Mali, has said it would be taking another look at its mission. France, which had 3,000 troops in Mali, has slowly been reducing its military footprint, withdrawing from all but one of its military bases in the country.

Despite the drawdown, French officials insist they remain committed to helping Mali defeat terrorist groups on its soil.

“France will not abandon Mali or the other Sahel countries,” French Ambassador to the U.S. Philippe Etienne told Thursday’s virtual conference on the region. “At the request of African nations, France is continuing to combat these armed groups in the Sahel with very appreciated support from the United States.”

“Young recruits who join these terrorist organizations are doing this not necessarily because they want to engage in jihad but also because they have no other prospects,” he said. “Stabilizing the Sahel in the long term will take time, and there’s a long way to go.”

Emanuela Del Re, the EU special representative for the Sahel, said the goal, ultimately, is to “keep Mali engaged and not isolate it.”

“We must keep the dialogue open and alive and hold the transitional authorities to their commitments,” she said.

VOA’s Margaret Besheer and Annie Risemberg contributed to this report.

-VOA

Chinese Rights Lawyer Lu Siwei Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison

Prominent Chinese rights lawyer Lu Siwei, who was arrested and deported from Laos in 2023, was sentenced behind closed doors in China to 11 months in prison on Friday, his wife told Radio Free Asia.

Read More

After Inhaling Deodorant Spray in TikTok Challenge,Eight Years Old Brazilian Girl Dies

After her participation in the so-called “deodorant challenge,” which has been making the rounds on TikTok, an eight-year-old girl in Brazil died on April 13.Police said, Sarah Raíssa Pereira de Castro was hospitalized in the Federal District on April 10,when she inhaled the gas from a spray deodorant while participating in the challenge.

Read More

Regular Exercise Keeps Your Pet Healthy

Maintaining your pet’s weight is one advantage of regular exercise for pets. helping your dog in relaxing and improving their sleeping pattern. Regular exercise also maintains your dog’s mobility and wellness.It also reduces digestive issues and constipation and establishing a relationship with your pet and winning their confidence.Ir decreases undesired behaviors such as jumping up, gnawing, barking, and predatory behavior.

Read More

How to Report Child Abuse in India

Under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) takes complaints about any violation of children’s rights using the online Complaint Management System, Ebaalnidan.

Read More

Sri Lankan Police Pull Plug on Vietnamese Monk’s Tour Until He Changes Visa

Sri Lankan police on Thursday blocked Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Minh Tue from continuing his barefoot journey around the South Asian island until he changes his visa, a witness told Radio Free Asia.

Read More

North Korean Troops May Enter Ukraine Doon,Kyiv Warns

North Korean forces deployed in Russia’s Kursk region may soon be sent into annexed regions of Ukraine that remain fiercely contested by Russian and Ukrainian forces, a senior Ukrainian official said.

Read More

First Time Parents At Nearly 100 Years of Age

The first-time parents are two Galapagos tortoises at the Philadelphia Zoo,United States,that are about 100 years old and highly endangered.

Read More

Home Made Food for Pets

Choosing a range of fresh ingredients and avoiding the artificial additives, preservatives, and fillers frequently found in conventional pet diets, homemade dog food allows one to choose nutrition of guaranteed quality.

Read More