Macron: “We will not give up the security of the African continent”

French President Emmanuel Macron says France will remain committed to the security of the African continent. He said this in a speech to the French community in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Macron wants to reorganize the French military and security apparatus in the Sahel.

In June last year, the French president announced the withdrawal of troops from the Sahel, a narrow swath of Africa that runs from west to east. Those troops have been fighting jihadist terror groups in five West African countries since 2013. The withdrawal is part of a military reorganization. “But we will continue to help Africa in the fight against terrorism.”

Macron embarked on a tour of Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau on Monday evening. On Tuesday afternoon, he arrived at the presidential palace to meet with Cameroonian President Paul Biya.

In his speech, Macron also talked about nonsense circulating about the war in Ukraine. “Some argue that European sanctions are the cause of the world food crisis. That is not true. Food and energy have become Russian weapons of war.”

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