The former president of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou has warned of dire consequences that befell the Sahel, a region plagued by acute insurgency.
The former leader made this known during the just concluded Dakar 8th edition of the Dakar International Forum.
Issoufou stated that the war in the Sahel has been neglected by the world and instead more attention given to Ukraine terming it a double standard.
The former leader further said he held the international community responsible for the situation in the Sahel following their military intervention in Libya.
In the Central African Republic and Mali, Russia has built up close ties that have translated into Russian military support and waning French clout.
Zacharopoulou assured the meeting that when Paris sends a military mission such as the Barkhane force to fight jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel it was not to “substitute” for local armies but to “support” them.