- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Deadly Israeli strike on Beirut likely targeted Hezbollah security chief
- Bangladesh Islamist chief backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM
- Everest climber's remains believed found after 100 years
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack
- Clashes on South China Sea, Ukraine dominate Asia summit
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Zelensky meets Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
- Hello Hallyu: why is South Korean culture sweeping the globe?
- UK economy rebounds in August in boost to new govt
RIO | 0.71% | 67.315 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.32% | 24.67 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.6% | 24.919 | $ | |
SCS | 2.17% | 12.88 | $ | |
BTI | 0.24% | 35.195 | $ | |
BCC | 2.19% | 142.055 | $ | |
RBGPF | -1.03% | 59.49 | $ | |
JRI | 0.3% | 13.26 | $ | |
RYCEF | 1.71% | 7 | $ | |
NGG | 0.89% | 66.27 | $ | |
BCE | 0.44% | 33.005 | $ | |
GSK | -1.21% | 38.741 | $ | |
AZN | 0.4% | 77.175 | $ | |
VOD | -0.98% | 9.645 | $ | |
RELX | 1.04% | 46.845 | $ | |
BP | -0.42% | 32.205 | $ |
Mauritanian president calls on West African states to ally against jihadism
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani called on West African countries to come together in the face of jihadism, in an interview with AFP ahead of the country's presidential vote.
"The region must generate a common political will to be able to fight against insecurity," Ghazouani told AFP on Friday, on the campaign trail ahead of an election on June 29.
"I am not one of those who think today that countries can face a threat like terrorism individually."
The 67-year-old former army chief and defence minister is tipped for a second term as head of the country of 4.5 million that lies strategically between north and sub-Saharan Africa.
He told AFP that the "security situation in the sub-region is not at all good" and has become "worse".
The military has seized power by force in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years, heightening uncertainty in the region. Ghazouni's huge desert nation has a frontier of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) with Mali.
While jihadism has spread in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011.
"We need to form a coalition," Ghazouani said, urging the countries of the region to "come together".
He spoke to AFP in Atar, some 450 kilometres northeast of the capital Nouakchott, where he launched his re-election campaign last week.
Ghazouani called for a possible replacement to the G5 Sahel alliance, which was created in 2014 by Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, with the support of Western countries, to confront jihadism.
The military leaders in Mali, Burkina and Niger have all withdrawn from the G5 alliance in recent years.
"If the G5 Sahel is not the right one, we must find another G-something," he said.
- Education and health -
The three countries, which have broken militarily and politically with the former French colonial power, have pivoted closer to Russia under their new military rulers.
They have also pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and created their own alliance of Sahel states. Ghazouni said he Mauritania did not seek any role in the internal affairs of the other Sahel countries.
"We respect their sovereignty in their decisions. We want these countries to move as fast as possible towards elections," he said.
Mauritania, which is rich in natural resources but still has a low gross domestic product, was hit by a series of coups from 1978 to 2008, before the 2019 election marked the first transition between two elected presidents.
The president said that stability has been maintained by being aware of the militant threat as well as "enormous efforts" made in education and health provision.
Ghazouani has pledged to "step up" his social welfare policy for the poor if re-elected, claiming more than 1.5 million people had benefited already from housing and financial help during his first term.
P.Silva--AMWN