Slovakia Promises €500,000 for Sahel Military Force

Slovakia has earmarked €500,000 for the military units of the five Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger), said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico last week. International donors, who met in Brussels on Friday, promised a total of €414 million for military operations in the troubled African region of Sahel aimed at eliminating the threat of terrorism and illegal migration. According to the European Commission, which organised the conference, the announced donor contributions exceeded the initial expectations. The European Union promised a total of €176 million, which includes money from the common budget as well as contributions from individual member states. The five countries known as the G5 Sahel, joined forces in 2014 and agreed to create a common military force to help to resolve conflicts, restore state power, deliver humanitarian aid and implement development projects supported by the international community.