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world news Diabierna 8 Januari 2021

France seeks strategy change to reduce troops in West Africa

(AP) — As it pays tribute Next month’s N’Djamena in determining France’s next
Thursday to French sol- summit is set to reassess the steps.
diers killed in Mali and situation a year after a meet- In December, the French
faces questions over a ing in the French town of Pau military chief of staff, Gen-
deadly airstrike, France is led to France sending 600 ad- eral Francois Lecointre, told
considering changing its ditional troops and concen- Le Monde newspaper during
military strategy against trating military efforts along a visit to Mali that he aimed
Islamic extremists in Af- the porous border separat- at “limiting” the number of
rica’s Sahel region — and ing Mali, Niger and Burkina troops there “as soon as pos-
a possible partial troop Faso. sible.” He said France would
pullout. Parly stressed that “any re- not withdraw from Sahel but
inforcement, by definition, rather make its operation
President Emmanuel Ma- is temporary.” French troops “evolve.”
cron is expected to announce in 2020 “achieved important France is also pushing to rein-
a timeframe for the evolution successes, by neutralizing force a regional five-country
of France’s largest interna- several top leaders of terrorist force launched in 2017 with
tional military operation at groups and by attacking their support from the United Na-
a summit in Chad’s capital logistical network to disorga- tions, the African Union and
N’Djamena next month. present in Mali since 2013 more responsibility,” and col- nize them,” she added. the European Union. But the
On Thursday afternoon, an when they intervened to laborate better, said Chryso- Last June, Abdelmalek so-called G5 Sahel has been
elaborate ceremony was held force Islamic extremist rebels gone Zougmore, president of Droukdel, the leader of al- slow to gain strength and is
on the Alexandre III bridge in from power. The operation, the Burkinabe Movement for Qaida’s North Africa affiliate, still short of equipment and
central Paris to pay homage to called Barkhane, was then ex- Human Rights, a civil society was killed in Mali by French training.
two soldiers who were killed panded to include Chad, Ni- group in Burkina Faso. forces who had been hunting The French military opera-
in Mali by an improvised ex- ger, Burkina Faso and Mauri- The discussion, though, him in the Sahel for years. tion enjoys broad support at
plosive device that hit their tania to improve security and comes amid few signs that AQIM named a new leader home. But some voices are
armored vehicle on Saturday. stability in the broader Sahel Islamic extremist violence is in November. calling for an exit plan.
Three other French soldiers region. waning: Last weekend mili- A top official at the French Far-left party France Insou-
died just five days earlier in Defense Minister Flor- tants staged attacks on two presidency said the death of mise (Rebel France), which
similar circumstances. ence Parly said France will villages in Niger near its bor- French soldiers will not in has 17 lawmakers at the Na-
France’s operation in Mali “very likely” reduce its 5,100 der with Mali, killing at least itself be the basis for a strat- tional Assembly, urged the
is also shadowed by unclear troops in the Sahel region, in 100 people. egy change. Speaking anony- government this week to
circumstances surrounding a an interview to Le Parisien Siaka Coulibaly, an analyst mously in accordance with “publicly present its strategy
weekend airstrike that killed newspaper earlier this week. with Burkina Faso’s Center the presidency’s customary to allow our soldiers to re-
at least 20 people in a village No specific figures have been for Public Policy Monitoring practices, he added that the turn with no prejudice to the
where witnesses said Islamic released. by Citizens, warned of a “se- upcoming strategic decisions stability of the region.”
extremists had confronted a Attitudes toward the French vere degradation of security” will be based on the results in “Today, the bogging down is
wedding party. The French mission are mixed. if the French leave, because the previous year and on Sa- clear, our soldiers are dying,
military said those killed “French troops could not stay African armies aren’t ready hel countries’ demands. the government acts only in
were members of a “terrorist forever...so many and (with) to fill the void. “We fear the The intentions of newly- reaction and the goals it pur-
armed group” with no con- such mixed results. In a way, worst for countries in the elected President Joe Biden sues are more uncertain than
nection to a wedding. this is a good thing, because it Sahel if foreign troops ever regarding U.S. troops in Af- ever,” the lawmakers’ group
French troops have been will push each country to take leave,” he said. rica will also be a key factor said in a statement.

South Africa buys 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine

(AP) — South Africa says variant of the virus, accord- The department of health has
it will import 1.5 million ing to medical experts. purchased the vaccine direct-
doses of the AstraZeneca The country of 60 million ly from the manufacturer in
vaccine to inoculate the people has reported by far the India, he said.
country’s health workers. most cases of the coronavirus South Africa’s drug regula-
This is South Africa’s first in Africa, with more than 1.1 tory body is “fine-tuning and
announcement of the pur- million confirmed infections, aligning all the regulations
chase of a COVID-19 vac- including 31,368 deaths, rep- processes to ensure that there
cine as its cases soar. resenting more than 30% of are no unnecessary delays or
all cases on the continent of regulatory impediments to
The first 1 million doses 1.3 billion. activate this rollout,” Mkhize
will be delivered later this South Africa is not the first said.
month from the Serum In- country on the 54-nation
stitute of India, followed by continent to announce a Earlier this week, he said
an additional 500,000 doses vaccine deal. Kenya’s health South Africa expects to get
in February, Health Minister minister on Wednesday said vaccines to inoculate an es-
Zwelini Mkhize announced the country is expected to timated 6 million people, or
Thursday. start receiving 24 million 10% of the population, from
South Africa is battling a doses next month of the As- the international COVAX
dramatic resurgence of CO- traZeneca vaccine. And last initiative starting in April. He
VID-19 that is quickly out- month, Morocco announced said the government intends
stripping its first peak. It it had ordered 65 million to vaccinate 67% of the pop-
announced record highs of doses of COVID-19 vaccines ulation by the end of 2021, this pandemic,” Mkhize said. Zeneca, which will cost ap-
21,832 new confirmed cases from China’s Sinopharm and which many experts say is an Mkhize told a parliamen- proximately $3.60 per dose
and 844 deaths late Wednes- Britain’s AstraZeneca. unrealistic goal. tary committee Thursday in comparison to Moderna’s
day. South Africa has 1.25 million “We urge the public to be pa- that South Africa expects to cost of $36.40 per dose. He
Some of South Africa’s hos- health care workers in public tient with us as we continue spend the equivalent of $1.4 said the state will purchase
pitals are already reporting and private hospitals, and the to engage manufacturers (for billion to acquire vaccines to the vaccines and expects to
that they are at capacity. The government has decided they the purchase of additional inoculate two-thirds of the partner with South Africa’s
rapid spread of the disease in should have first priority in vaccines). ... We will not ne- country’s population. He private health care companies
recent weeks has been driven getting protection from CO- glect our responsibility to said the majority of the vac- and possible international
by a new, more infectious VID-19, Mkhize said. protect lives and also fight cines will come from Astra- donors.