After pulling out of Mali, France must rethink its relationship with Africa

Francis Ghilès, Associate Senior Researcher at CIDOB, analyses France’s involvement in the Sahel and the consequences of its withdrawal in this article for the Middle East Eye: “When he took office on 14 May 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron was clear that the last thing he wanted was "to get trapped in Mali". When he announced last week the withdrawal of French troops from that country and France’s intention to refocus its anti-terrorist campaign in the Sahel eastward to Niger and south to the Gulf of Guinea, there was no disguising the painful truth. The trap has closed on the French president.”