On 30 June, Mauritania is set to host a new summit that brings together the leaders of the five African Sahel states (G5 Sahel) and France.
This is to discuss coordination efforts to face security challenges and the repercussions of COVID-19 on counter-terrorism efforts.
Turkey’s military intervention in Libya and its negative repercussions on the security of the African continent will top the summit’s agenda. This is in order to develop a common vision to address the dangers of the deployment of militias and extremist elements in more African countries.
The summit also aims to assess the executive measures of the outcomes and commitments of the PAU Summit held on 13 January in France, attended by the leaders of the Sahel countries.
During the summit, the heads of states agreed to establish a new political, strategic, and operational framework to represent a new step in the fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel.
The framework was given the name of “Coalition for the Sahel”, bringing together the G5 Sahel countries and France.
This is through Operation Barkhane and other forms of commitment. Experts anticipate that the Sahel states and France will adopt a “decisive” position rejecting Turkish intervention in Libya.
Turkey has been zealous in its support of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). It has sent large shipments of weapons and thousands of foreign fighters to support the GNA.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his backing of the GNA is to “ensure Libya’s peace and stability”.
The support may instead be rooted in agreements that give Ankara concessions on Libya’s vast energy sector.
In November, Turkey, and the GNA signed an MoU on maritime boundaries in the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean.
This exacerbated existing disputes between Turkey and its neighbors over energy exploration rights in the region. The agreement gives Ankara right to explore for gas in over 200 miles of the Mediterranean.