1 Up Front Bound

The departure of the French forces and the forthcoming exit from Mali of the UN peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMO, are creating a new set of problems for the Sahelian nation of Mali. In particular, the northern political elite representing the Touareg nation are experiencing a major leadership crisis. There is a lack of consensus among Tuareg leaders as to the way forward, but all of them anticipate the central government in Bamako to take advantage of the absence of foreign observers to launch an offensive against the populations of the north.

The European Union wants Tunisia to do more to stem the influx of undocumented migrants into Europe. And Europe has the money that Tunisia needs. Tunisia, along with Libya, serves as the primary departure point for migrants crossing the central Mediterranean to reach Europe, in particular the southern islands and regions of Italy, such as Lampedusa.