Washington wants to reduce the American military presence in Africa and this announcement, made at a time when France is bringing together the leaders of the G5 Sahel to try to tighten the anti-jihadist front, jeopardizes the efforts made by Europeans to help the region.
The resources that the Pentagon devotes to Africa or the Middle East “could be reduced and then redirected, either to improve the preparation of our forces in the United States or to the Pacific,” said the chief of staff. American, General Mark Milley, on his arrival on the night of Sunday to Monday in Brussels for a meeting of the NATO Military Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We are in the process of developing options for the American Minister of Defense, Mark Esper,” explained General Milley to a few journalists including Nigeria News. 
This reflection is done “in coordination with our allies and partners in the areas concerned,” he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting this Monday the presidents of five countries in the Sahel-Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania-to strengthen the disputed legitimacy of the French soldiers deployed on the spot and attempt to mobilize the European allies.
The United States wants to reduce the number of its soldiers deployed across Africa over the next few years and focus more on responding to threats posed by its Russian and especially Chinese competitors.
The American army deploys to Africa some 7,000 special forces soldiers who are conducting joint operations with national armies against jihadists, particularly in lia.
In addition, 2,000 army soldiers conduct training missions in some 40 African countries and participate in cooperation operations, in particular with the French forces of Operation Barkhane in Mali, to which they provide mainly logistical assistance.
Esper is said to be considering shutting down a drone base in Agadez, northern Niger, which has been estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and which provides the United States with a leading surveillance platform at the Sahel.
The prospect of a reduction in the American presence worries, in particular in France. “The American commitment is crucial in the region because they provide critical surveillance and air refuelling capacities, and some are not substitutable,” warns the French presidency. “We would not be able to find them with the other partners, especially in terms of intelligence. We are getting the message across at all levels, “adds the Élysée.
“No decision”
Questioned, General Milley assured that the head of the Pentagon had not yet “taken any decision”.
“Saving our strength does not mean reducing it to zero,” he said. The review of forces in Africa “continues”.
The question of the American military presence in Iraq, questioned since the elimination on January 3 by the United States of the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, will also appear on the menu of the discussions at NATO while the allies are worried about a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria.
The Iraqi Parliament has asked for the expulsion of the 5,200 American soldiers deployed in Iraq, which calls into question the presence of the troops of the 75 other member states of the anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington.
On this point, General Milley recalled that it was not he who made the decisions on whether or not to maintain American troops in a country, but the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
“All I can say is what our current policy and current plans are,” he said. “And the instructions I received from the Minister of Defense and the President is that we remain in Iraq.”
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