Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — France's president is paying a visit to the former colony of Niger, a landlocked desert nation in West Africa that has played a key role in French military efforts in the region.
President Francois Hollande arrived Friday in the capital of Niamey, a day after holding economic talks with officials in Ivory Coast.
Next he heads to Chad, another former colony that will be headquarters for a newly reorganized French military presence in Africa.
The redeployment of 3,000 French troops in five of its former colonies across northwest Africa is expected to be officially announced Saturday.
The new operation — code-named "Barkhane" after a crescent-shaped dune in Sahara desert — will involve Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
