French army watches for bombs and potholes as it withdraws from Mali base

The financial freeze on Mali brought in by regional group ECOWAS has hit its economy hard. Key sectors like the cotton industry have been struggling to overcome the impact of the trade penalties. Also, as the excitement of the Africa Cup of Nations winds down, we head to two-time tournament hosts Gabon, where once-gleaming stadiums have fallen into disrepair. Finally, a Malawian musician finds runaway fame on TikTok at the age of 92.

European foreign ministers discuss the security situation in Mali ahead of this week's AU-EU summit. Also, one month after the re-opening of schools in Uganda, our correspondent takes a look at how children are faring after the world's longest Covid-related class closure. Students' access to education had been crippled for almost two years. Finally, we take a look at how climate change is devastating the land and livestock of Kenyan herders.

Western powers are reassessing their mission to Mali amid deteriorating relations with the country's military junta. European and African Union leaders are set to meet later this week for talks.

We focus on the situation in Mali, where a full withdrawal of French troops fighting Islamist separatists is thought to be imminent. French President Emmanuel Macron has been meeting with African and European counterparts during a dinner in Paris. He is expected to confirm the decision to leave Mali later this week.

France’s president hosting African and European allies before the announcement of a withdrawal from Mali. Relations have seriously soured with the junta in Bamako ever since a second coup in as many years and the cozying up of the military to Russia and the mercenaries of Wagner.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara granted an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI ahead of an EU-African Union summit in Brussels. He criticised the planned departure of French and European troops from Mali, saying it "creates a void". Ouattara added that it was the responsibility of domestic African armies to "solve problems in their own countries.

France announces Mali withdrawal after decade-long jihadist fight. PARIS: France announced on Thursday that it was withdrawing its troops from Mali after a breakdown in relations with the country's ruling junta, ending a near 10-year deployment against jihadist groups that pose a growing threat in West Africa.

Europe and Africa already had more than enough in their in-tray going into their first Brussels summit in nearly eight years. Now you can add coup contagion and the pullout of French-led anti-terror forces from Mali. The day began in Paris for key players in the Sahel. Will the crisis overshadow the EU-African Union summit?

In a interview with FRANCE 24 at the EU-African Union summit in Brussels, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo said the French-led troop withdrawal from Mali required "new arrangements" in the regional fight against terrorism. Akufo-Addo, who is also the current chairman of West African bloc ECOWAS, demanded the departure of "foreign mercenaries" from the region and explained that negotiations are underway with the Malian junta on an election timetable. He called the junta's proposal of a four-year transition "clearly unacceptable" and said a 12-month transition period would be "an acceptable framework", while stressing that this was not official ECOWAS position.

After French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and its European partners are to begin a military withdrawal from Mali after more than nine years fighting a jihadist insurgency, FRANCE 24 speaks to Belgium's prime minister. Alexander De Croo calls the French-led pullout "unfortunate" and insists it is "important to not break any ties with Mali. We are very concerned about the political developments, but the moment you break ties, we don't have any influence anymore. It's important for the Sahel region to get stabilised."

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and its sister station Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mali's Prime Minister Choguel Maiga says that since 2012, French authorities have tried to divide his country by fueling autonomy claims in the north. And African countries weigh in on Russia's decision to send troops to Ukraine. Kenya, Gabon and Ghana have condemned Moscow's actions at the UN security council. Finally, Madagascar prepares for a new cyclone to hit its coast.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and its sister radio station Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mali’s Prime Minister Choguel Maiga said that since 2012, French authorities have tried to divide his country by fueling autonomy claims in the north. Maiga said it is clear Paris has never deemed the ruling junta government as legitimate, and claims it was “preparing a plan” to overthrow it.