Paris —On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted African and European leaders to drum up support and contributions for a new counter-terrorism force in the terror-plagued Sahel. Two years in the planning, the force brings together troops from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger in a desert region the size of Europe. The five nations are among the world’s poorest, and funding was high on the agenda as their presidents joined Macron and other leaders including Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel at a chateau in La Celle-Saint-Cloud outside Paris. Officials from oil-rich Saudi Arabia — which may confirm a $100m contribution, according to the French presidency — were also, notably, on the guest list. Former colonial power France is leading regional counter-terrorism efforts through its 4,000-strong Barkhane force, but is keen to spread the burden as its military is engaged on various fronts. The idea is for the Sahel nations to develop their capacity to defend them...
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