G5 Sahel states Nouakchott Summit to follow Pau Road Map

Nouakchott, June 30, 2020 (AMI) – A summit of Heads of State and Government of the member countries of the G5-Sahel and France, headed by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the rotating president of the G5-Sahel and the French President, His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Macron, was launched today, Tuesday, at the International Conference Center Almourabitoune in Nouakchott with the participation of the leaders of the five countries of the Sahel group : their Excellencies: the presidents of Chad Mr. Idriss Deby Itno and Niger, Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou and Mali, Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Burkina Faso, Mr. Rock Marc Christian Kaboré and the head of the Spanish government, the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Musa Faki Mahamat, and the Secretary-General of the International Organization of la Francophonie, Luisa Mushikiwabo.
The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the Italian Council, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, participated remotely.
This summit is devoted to follow up the implementation of the Pau summit road map for the G5- Sahel states and France, held six months ago in southwest France.
The summit was opened with a speech by President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the periodic president of the G5- Sahel
He outlined the most prominent themes of the group’s program to address the current challenges, security, economic and diplomatic, in light of the negative effects of the new Corona pandemic, which cast a shadow over all the planned efforts and development programs.
“From the beginning, the Mauritanian periodic presidency adopted a realistic and ambitious strategy at the same time enabling the group’s structures to reach the required level of capabilities and encourage diplomatic and political initiatives that would support the work of the five Sahel states,” the president said.
Then followed French President Emmanuel Macron, highlighting France’s commitment to the Sahel countries and to moving forward in support of this gathering, which faces many challenges that negatively affect the security of France, the European Union and the international community as a whole.
He called on the partners to fulfill their financial obligations with a view to launching the priority investment program necessary to alleviate the suffering of the Sahel states and enable the joint forces to fully perform their duties and address the issue of violent terrorist threat.
Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno saluted the presidency of the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, for the group countries, highlighting his role in activating its programs and raising funding for its future projects.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, affirmed his country’s commitment to the G5-Sahel countries, and its willingness to contribute to support, advocacy, training and information exchange, in order to overcome the various difficulties facing the group at the security and development levels.
In his turn, the President of Niger expressed his thanks to the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, for the efforts he made to hold this summit in this exceptional circumstance, calling on the partners to fulfill their financial obligations and respond to the expectations of the Sahel residents in achieving security and development.
The President of the European Commission intervened through videoconference, highlighting the European Union’s continued support for the G5-Sahel and advocating its development and security programs at the bilateral and multilateral levels, in order to defeat the virus and terrorism in its various forms.
Then the Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita intervened, highlighting the risks faced by the Sahel, in general and the Republic of Mali, in particular, as it is in the eye of the storm in terms of the terrorist threat and multiple developmental obstacles.
He said that the only solution to the current challenges is that the international and regional partners fulfill their obligations, implement the priority investment program for the countries of the group, and enhance coordination and exchange of information between the joint force of the G5- Sahel and the French Barkhane forces.
The German Chancellor intervened through video, confirming that Germany stands beside the five Sahel states and is ready to provide all forms of support to defeat terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime and restore security and stability in the sub-region.
Then the President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, Rock Marc Christian Kaboré intervened, saluting the leadership of the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, for the group, reviewing the most important challenges facing them.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister of Italy intervened via video, confirming his country’s readiness to support the G5- Sahel and enhance its role as an important strategic partner in the southern Mediterranean
Subsequently, the interventions of the Chairman of the African Union Committee and the Secretary General of la Francophonie followed, followed directly through video link by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Italian Council.
After completing the interventions and discussions, the final statement was read by the Executive Secretary of the G5- Sahel, after its approval.
It is noteworthy that the Sahel Alliance is an institutional framework established in January 2020 and seeks to mobilize the military, financial and political advocacy of the international community in order to respond to the concerns of the G5-Sahel countries represented in clearing the Sahel from the terrorist presence through the two pillars of the military and security solution and fair development .
Public opinion in the Sahel countries is looking forward to the response of the Sahel Alliance Summit to its expectations, including:
– Granting the umbrella of the seventh chapter of the Charter of the United Nations to the joint forces of the Sahel states which will provide them with international legitimacy and permanent financing.
– Exempting the Sahel states from the debts of the countries and partners participating in the summit due to the terrorist security threats that lie in wait for them, and taking into account the negative economic, financial and social repercussions of the Corona pandemic on the Sahel group.
– Renewing the call to mobilize the funds needed to achieve equitable development and provide a ceiling of $ 14 billion to finance a portfolio of 800 development projects, in addition to creating an institutional mechanism for mobilizing funds and ensuring projects are implemented quickly and transparently and achieving the goals of drying sources of finance for terrorism.
To take a diplomatic position in support of political stability in the country of Mali, with the agreement of all partners of political concern in this sister country;
Agreeing on an active role for the Sahel alliance currently to solve the Libyan crisis.