COVID-19 & terrorismEU to Examine Cancellation of African Debt to Facilitate Fight against Terrorism, COVID-19
The European Union (EU) on Tuesday, 28 April, 194 million euros in funding to the G5 Sahel countries to strengthen their security forces. In a videoconference, EU leaders said they would favorably examine a request to cancel African debt to allow African countries to continue to combat Islamist terrorism as they are facing a new challenge in COVID-19.
The European Union (EU) on Tuesday, 28 April, 194 million euros in funding to the G5 Sahel countries to strengthen their security forces. In a videoconference, EU leaders said they would favorably examine a request to cancel African debt to allow African countries to continue to combat Islamist terrorism as they are facing a new challenge in COVID-19.
“We have discussed with the leaders of the G5 Sahel countries concrete actions to help them reduce the terrorist threat,” the President of the European Council Charles Michel said in a press conference after the videoconference with the leaders of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Chad.
“We have announced an additional 194 million euros to strengthen the security and internal defense forces and accelerate the redeployment of the state and the delivery of basic services in fragile areas,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s chief diplomat, said on his Twitter account. Borrell participated in the video meeting.
The effort is focused on a region known as the “three borders,” where the borders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso meet, and where jihadist attacks have increased in frequency and intensity. “The COVID-19 pandemic cannot help us forget how badly the situation is deteriorating on all fronts, in a region whose challenges are also ours,” said Borrell.
The European Union and the five members of the G5 Sahel formally launched the coalition for the Sahel announced in January at the Pau summit in south-west France (see “France, Five African States Launch New Anti-Terrorist Coalition for the Sahel Region,” HSNW, 14 January 2020). “We are looking to convince other partners to join the coalition,” said Michel.
This coalition will help the G5 countries in military, civil (police and justice), and economic terms, with development aid. The EU has provided € 4.5 billion to the region over the past six years, said Charles Michel.
G5 leaders have also called for “outright cancellation of African debt” to help them cope with the health and economic costs of fighting the pandemic.
“We have agreed to lead the debate on this request within the European Union and with other international partners,” said Michel, citing the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “A new meeting will be organized within three months in the form of a videoconference to take stock,” Michel said.
