The joint EU/G5 Sahel meeting, convened on Wednesday 26 January specifically to address the worrying political situation in Mali and Burkina Faso, turned into bilateral dialogues between the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the respective foreign ministers of Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Chad, which holds the rotating presidency of the G5 Sahel.
In the absence of a minister from Burkina Faso (see EUROPE 12877/13), it was decided by the African side, in agreement with the EU, that the plenary meeting will take place “when the conditions are right again”, Josep Borrell said on Wednesday evening in a video statement on the European Commission website.
According to Mr Borrell, these bilateral talks allowed him to take stock of “the very worrying situation in the Sahel, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso, and the extension of the threat to neighbouring countries”.
Joint security, development and humanitarian efforts were also addressed in the framework of the EU’s integrated strategy for the Sahel (see EUROPE 12701/6).
“To each of my interlocutors, my message was - I hope - very clear: the EU remains committed to the Sahel. It is a reliable and long-term partner. People have urgent needs in terms of security, humanitarian aid and social and economic opportunities. Impatience grows, and sooner or later these fragilities feed the terrorist movements we are all fighting and which are a threat to us all”, said the High Representative. He recalled that the authorities in these countries have the primary responsibility “to provide a response to their citizens, by deploying public and basic services throughout the territory”.
Mr Borrell reminded Malian Minister Abdoulaye Diop that the EU wanted to remain engaged in Mali and the Sahel, but not at any price (see EUROPE 12876/9, EUROPE 12875/2): “I have asked the Minister to give us concrete guarantees to ensure the effectiveness of our missions in support of the security and defence forces necessary to maintain them. I also recalled that any change in the working conditions of Barkhane and Takuba will inevitably have consequences”.
The aim of the meeting was to give diplomacy a chance before the EU imposes targeted sanctions on those hindering Mali’s transition and on the Russian group Wagner, following the economic and financial sanctions already imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the country.
Mr Borrell reiterated the EU’s support for “ECOWAS’s request to the Malian authorities to adopt a credible electoral calendar without delay”.
Speaking on Thursday on the Belgian channel LN24, Mr Diop reiterated that the security conditions were not met for the holding of elections, “with killings between populations”. He also pointed out, with regard to jihadists, that “what happens here has often been imported. The crisis in Libya, in particular, has injected terrorists into our territory. People are being instrumentalised”.
On Burkina Faso, the High Representative said he had reiterated the EU’s position - calling for a rapid return to constitutional order and the immediate release of President Kaboré and all those illegally detained.
Mr Borrell also welcomed the “solid and fruitful cooperation with Niger and Mauritania”. The EU will continue to support “the positive evolution of the transition in Chad”, he also said.
EU humanitarian aid. On Thursday 27 January, the European Commission announced that it was committing €175 million to fund humanitarian projects for vulnerable populations in eight countries in West and Central Africa in 2022: Burkina Faso (€23.5 million), Mali (€25 million), Mauritania (€8.5 million), Niger (€24 million), Chad (€26.5 million), Cameroon (€16 million), Central African Republic (€17 million) and Nigeria (€34 million). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)