Sahel

Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how Turkey's influence in Africa has boomed over the past two decades, particularly in the Sahel. Turkey's focus on Africa comes as a number of so-called "middle powers" are also vying to gain a larger foothold on the continent.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, in a meeting with Ghana's Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, condemned Iran's attacks on Israel, warning of regional destabilization. 

Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all governed by military juntas, have agreed to establish a joint security force, according to a report by Reuters.

France has suspended all development aid and budgetary support to Niger following a military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, the French Foreign Ministry said.

Paris "calls for an immediate return to constitutional order in Niger," along with the reinstatement of democratically-elected Bazoum, the ministry said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is expected in Brussels Monday for an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting chaired by the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell.

Ministers will discuss Russia's war on Ukraine, the Sahel and coastal countries of West Africa, and more.

After the meeting, Dendias is scheduled to travel fo South Africa and Mozambique. [AMNA]

This is the biggest escalation of the conflict between the two countries in several years, according to Reuters.
A spokesman for the French army said that due to Algeria's decision, "there will be no major consequences" for its operation in the Sahel region.
Algeria recalled the ambassador to Paris on Sunday, citing comments by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu addressed on Romania's behalf today's ministerial meeting of the International Coalition for the Sahel, highlighting in this context the participation of Romanian experts in EU military and civilian training missions in the region.

Turkey is helping G5 Sahel -- an institutional framework for coordination of regional cooperation security matters in West Africa -- to combat terrorism.

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu attended on Monday the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in Brussels which tackled topical issues included on the foreign affairs agenda, such as the situation in Libya and the developments in Sahel.

Romania's Permanent Representative to the UN Ion Jinga, as head of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), co-chaired in New York a joint session of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and PBC.