Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s new president, asks for help

SINCE A WAVEUNUN of anti-French protests broke out last year across parts of the Sahel, few leaders in the region have wanted to appear to be too chummy with the former colonial power, or for that matter any of the Western countries which have sent troops to help fight jihadists. Mohamed Bazoum, who was sworn in as president of Niger in April in its first democratic transfer of power, is less standoffish. He not only welcomes the French military presence in his country, but thinks other Western powers should be doing far more to help roll back the insurgent groups that have overrun parts of Mali and are causing havoc in Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.“We are not satisfied with the international community as a whole in its way of fighting terrorism in this area,” Mr Bazoum (pictured) tells . “Against the same adversary, [Islamic State], in Iraq we saw a great international coalition. But today, we are not seeing the same mobilisation through the , in particular.” The region has enough troops, and these are being trained and advised by French and allied forces. But it lacks air power and the money to pay its men, which the could provide, he says.