The 27th Africa-France summit has kicked off with more than 30 African leaders meeting with French officials in the Malian capital, Bamako.
The 27th Africa-France summit has kicked off with more than 30 African leaders meeting with French officials in the Malian capital, Bamako.
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Discussions are expected to focus on the threat of jihadists as well as the progress of democracy but the rendezvous offers an opportunity to assess the French president’s legacy in Africa.
Four years ago, Mali looked to France to help it combat extremists in the north of the country and 4,000 French troops remain in the country and across the Sahel region.
Euronews report Oliver Peguy sums up:
“François Hollande came to Bamako a few months after his election in February 2013. French soldiers had managed to drive out jihadist groups which had been making inroads. The French president had a hero’s welcome. Today, it’s a different story. This trip to Bamako represents the last big rendezvous before the end of his term.”