As part of his two-day visit to our country, the Chief of Staff of the French Armies, Army General Thierry Burkhard, went, on Saturday September 4, 2021, to the General Staff of the Armies where he met with his Malian counterpart Brigadier General Oumar Diarra. The two General officers discussed above all the security situation in Mali and the Sahel, while deeming it necessary to strengthen the relationship of military cooperation to face the security challenges. He also went to the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs where he spoke with the Secretary General, General Sidiki Samaké.
At the end of these two meetings, General Burkhard, after thanking the military authorities for the welcome, will say that his visit to Mali falls within the framework of strengthening the partnership. That is to say the way in which the French Force cooperates with the FAMa and especially how this collaboration must still progress. Thus, he asserted that there is a sign of progress in the face of a formidable enemy which seeks to subjugate the civilian population by terror and which also seeks to extend its perimeters of control.
The Chief of Staff of the French Armies confided that for this, it is absolutely necessary to coordinate actions. He specified that the Barkhane Force will adapt because opposite, the enemy evolves. According to him, this adaptation does not mean that France is leaving, but that it remains and continues to engage in terms of a combat partnership.
In addition, he affirmed that his Malian counterpart, General Oumar Diarra spoke to him about his plan of rehabilitation, organization and reorganization in organic terms for the Army. Opportunity for him to indicate that it is normal that we dialogue so that our cooperation is the most appropriate. General Burkhard concluded by stressing that we strengthen cooperation by being able to say things to each other.
General Thierry Burkhard is the holder of several distinctions. He is a Commander of the Legion of Honor, Commander of the National Order of Merit, holder of the Croix de Guerre for Foreign Theaters of Operations and the Cross of Military Valor.
Source: MALIAN ARMED FORCES