BAMAKO— French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Mali for a two day-visit on Dec 20-21.

While in the Malian capital of Bamako, he will hold talks with transitional President Assimi Goita.

According to Africa Intelligence group, the two leaders will among others discuss the ongoing talks between the junta and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.

Other media reports indicate that he will also join calls by regional bloc ECOWAS for Goita and his team to hold elections early next year.

It will be the first time Macron is meeting with Goita since the latter staged two coups, toppling Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2019 before removing transitional president Bah Ndaw this year.

Macron is also expected to visit Barkhane troops as France continues a drawdown of its men in the West African country.

In another development, French forces have left the city of Timbuktu, the latest sign the former colonial power is scaling down its presence in northern Mali nearly nine years after a military intervention that helped push back fighters that have overrun parts of the country.

It was in Timbuktu on Feb 2, 2013, that former French President Francois Hollande declared the start of France’s military offensive in Mali. On Tuesday, the French flag was lowered and the Malian flag was raised in its place at a military base, where a force of about 150 soldiers had remained after France began withdrawing troops.

In a statement, the French military emphasized that the Malian military maintains “a strong garrison in Timbuktu”, in addition to nearly 2,200 United Nations peacekeepers who are permanently deployed there.

Mali has been plagued by a conflict that began as a separatist movement in the north of the country in 2012 but devolved into a multitude of armed groups jockeying for control in the central and northern regions.

Fighting has spread to neighboring countries, including Burkina Faso and Niger, with the deteriorating security situation in the region unleashing an acute humanitarian crisis.

France announced earlier this year that it would be withdrawing more than 2,000 troops from the Sahel region by early 2022, refocusing its military efforts on neutralizing rebel operations, and strengthening and training local armies.

The French military already has shut down its bases further north in Kidal and Tessalit but is maintaining its presence in Gao near a volatile border region where operations have been concentrated in recent years.

The international community has set a deadline for new democratic elections to be held in Mali by the end of February, though there are growing signs that will not happen.

On Sunday, the regional bloc known as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) warned that Mali could face additional sanctions if more “concrete progress” is not made by Jan 1 towards preparing for elections.

ECOWAS has already suspended Mali, and it slapped travel bans and asset freezes on members of the transitional government.

The army leaders have cited mounting insecurity throughout Mali as a reason why February’s deadline is not attainable.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK