Senegalese President Macky Sall, who currently holds the presidency of the African Union (AU), has called on Germany to maintain its presence in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, to counter Mali's growing campaign to expel foreign troops from the country.
The president made this controversial call following a military reception for German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the Senegalese capital of Dakar.
"Mali cannot be abandoned. You must maintain your presence in the Sahel. Africa needs it, we need European forces," Sall said, while the German president in return "gave new impetus to the long-standing close partnership between Germany and Senegal."
His call has sparked concern in Mali, with Bamako residents rejecting the position, saying, "We did not ask him to speak on our behalf; Mali can manage its own affairs." Malians aside, Sall has angered many political thinkers, who condemned the neocolonial overtones in his statement.
"In essence, Sall is saying that Africa cannot defend itself and that the presence of European forces is necessary to maintain peace in the region," one commentary said.
Prior to the German president's visit, Macky Sall, who has maintained his predecessors' postcolonial ties with France, spoke to EU partners during last week's summit in Brussels ( AU-EU ), where pledges were made for EU engagement in the Sahel.
Currently, Macky Sall has lost popularity among Senegalese as his party recently suffered a humiliating defeat in the country's municipal elections.
Mali's military government says it has taken steps to take the country's future into its own hands. Following the decision, the country has urged tough measures to deal with the involvement of foreign troops, particularly France, which was recently asked to "withdraw immediately."
RISE IN THE SAHEL: The Sahel insurgency that the EU is targeting began in 2012 immediately after the removal of Muammar Gaddafi, when armed groups began pushing south into countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad.