Tuesday 19 January 2021
Last update on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 At 10:05 AM
Egypt, a military power in North Africa, is trying to counter the growing influence of Turkey, not only in the Maghreb (especially in Libya, where the two countries have threatened to clash militarily), but also more in the South, in the Sahel.
This is supported by the specialized website Intelligence Online, which relies on the fact that Cairo is stepping up its support to Sahelian countries.
Ansi, earlier this month, the Sisi government decided to strengthen the presence of its peacekeeping unit within the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and to strengthen its technical support to the G5 Sahel Joint Force (including Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad).
Indeed, since their standoff by proxy interposed in Libya (Egypt supports the troops of Marshal Haftar, who are opposed to the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNA), supported by Ankara), Egypt has decided to make its conflict with Turkey a foreign policy priority, extending to all potential theaters of conflict, such as the African Sahel.
It is thus a question of countering the Turkish influence, which is already committed to economically support the countries of the Sahel, in this immense region of more 3 million km ², struggling with many terrorist and separatist movements, particularly dangerous since. the collapse of Gaddafi’s Libya.
However, in view of the challenges that this would represent, the risk of an open conflict between Cairo and Ankara remains low for the time being, but it further complicates the geopolitical situation in this region, where many are already involved. foreign players, such as France and the EU, face their rival Russia (Turkey’s ally), “alongside” the G5 Sahel forces.
Source Ecofin Agency
