Opinion by Arezki Daoud: Unlike their Swedish neighbors, the Norwegian people told France that they will not send more troops to Mali. And the Norwegians are right. The Sahel does not need more troops, it needs a political solution first that will then be worth protecting with troops from the international community. Instead, France’s approach has been to delay and delay and delay, arguing that stopping the Jihadi threat is its priority, when in fact, it is tearing apart the very fabric of the Sahelian society. France’s militarist stance has upset the social and economic balance of the region, with foreign troops unable to understand local cultures and adding more frustration to the local populations. France is facing its own major public health crisis and therefore it needs to move to the next level with regards to the Sahel above and beyond the military option. It needs to force a political solution to the Sahel, so it can go back to deal with the unprecedented fallout of the coronavirus.
No more Norwegian troops in Mali
Oslo, March 23, 2020 (AFP) – Norway has for the moment rejected a French request to send special forces to Mali, citing a lack of political support at home, the government said Monday. France has been seeking international support for a French-led force of elite soldiers to operate in Mali, a plan dubbed Operation Takuba.
“We are concerned by the worsening situation in the Sahel and we well understand the need to set up the Takuba task force,” Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen sid in a statement. “The government examined it very carefully and consulted the Storting (Norway’s parliament).” Given the lack of support in parliament, they had concluded that Norway would not take part for the moment.
Last week, Sweden announced it would send up to 150 soldiers to Mali to support the French operation. The force is intended to operate alongside Malian troops on the ground.
