Germany’s new defense minister for a greater engagement of Germany in Africa; French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian: US military’s partnership with France in Africa is indispensable in the fight against extremist groups in the Sahel region
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    • According to reports, Germany’s new defense minister has stressed on the need for a greater engagement of Germany in Africa. She opined that Germany should send additional military trainers to Mali and support the French intervention in Central African Republic. German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said she foresaw boosting the training mission in Mali from its current mandate of 180 personnel, with 99 now on the ground, to up to 250, and deploying a medical services airbus to back up the French mission in CAR. “In Central Africa, a bloody war is unfolding between Christians and Muslims. We cannot allow this conflict to set the entire region ablaze,” she added. 1
    In another development, according to reports, French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian has emphasized that US military’s partnership with France in Africa is indispensable in the fight against extremist groups in the Sahel region. France is fighting against extremist groups in the Sahel region. Reinforcing US-French cooperation in the restive Sahel region is the main challenge of France currently. France has admired US role in its fight against terrorism in the region. In the French operation in Mali launched in January 2013, the US has provided aerial refueling tankers, cargo aircraft and intelligence, including unmanned drone aircraft. The Americans also have flown peacekeeping troops from Burundi and Rwanda to CAR, where a French contingent is working alongside an African Union force. 2

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