Brussels, 17/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The situation in the Sahel and the international intervention currently being prepared to retrieve the northern part of Mali, which has fallen under the control of the Islamist militias, were at the heart of the discussions on 16 October in Brussels. These discussions took place between Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Macky Sall, the president of Senegal, who was visiting Brussels as part of the European Development Days initiative.
In a declaration published on Tuesday evening, Catherine Ashton explained that, “We held a lengthy discussion on the situation in the Sahel. I reaffirmed the EU's commitment to help the countries of the region and the people of Mali to restore legitimate government to northern Mali. This is not only a case of people living under lawless armed groups, but is a threat to the region and the world, and has exacerbated a serious humanitarian situation”.
The High Representative reminded her interlocutor that on the previous day, the Council of the EU had pledged to support ECOWAS, the African Union and the UN in finding a solution to the current problems (see EUROPE 10710). President Sall emphasised the complexity of the political and security situation, not only in the north but in southern Mali as well. He underlined the need to tackle drug traffickers who are benefitting from the lack of governance in Mali as well as in and other parts of the region.
Ashton welcomed the fact that, “Senegal is a beacon of democracy and stability in the region and that the EU's support for the country would continue”. The crisis in Mali is another problem compounding the fragile situation affecting the population of the Sahel region that has already suffered from acute food shortages, which also affected Senegal. (AN/trans.fl)