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It is official now; Morocco is willing to support logistically and militarily the G5 countries namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad. Support should be translated into the formation of troops and securing borders. This decision was announced yesterday in New York by Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita at an inter-ministerial meeting on «Security and Development in a Francophone Solidarity Region».
The Kingdom has shown thus its will of becoming an ambitious actor in maintaining peace in the Sahel region. France, which sponsors the G5, welcomed the step initiated by Rabat to fight against terrorist groups strongly present in central Africa.
A timely proposal
After meeting the Sovereign in Casablanca last June, President Emmanuel Macron, during a press briefing, welcomed «Morocco's willingness to cooperate with France in the strategy (...) I have seen a concerned partner [King Mohammed VI] who is willing to participate to our efforts to stabilize the Sahel».
While Nasser Bourita announced the proposal put forward by Morocco, a high-level meeting was held at the UN headquarters in New York dedicated to the financing of the G5 5,000 soldiers.
Beside the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, the African Union Commission President, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the European Union Head of Diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, a representative of the Trump’s administration and presidents of some of the G5 countries have also attended the meeting.
Due to the lack of sustainable resources, the institutional framework force is lagging behind as the threat of terrorism intensifies. Two Malian soldiers were killed last week in an attack targeting the region.
The G5's 5,000 soldiers are in the need of EUR 420 millions. All members of the African force are unable to honor their commitments while Macron, who does not want to keep financing the operation alone, leaves Morocco with a real opportunity.
