Boko Haram: Why France won’t send troops to Nigeria now —French ambassador

The French ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jacques Champagne De Labroille speaks with ADEWALE OSHODI on the recent security parley between Nigeria and neighbouring countries in Paris, France. Excerpts:

Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan alongside some other West African leaders were in your country to discuss the issue of the Boko Haram insurgency, which is threatening the stability of the region. How do you think this parley would help solve this problem?

The summit was organised at the request of President Goodluck Jonathan when he discussed the issue of the Boko Haram insurgency on telephone with President Francois Hollande. The Nigerian president has a feeling that the insurgency has reached a dimension where it requires regional cooperation, and this is also the French analysis. We can see that there is the need for security in the countries in this region, and we don’t have forces that can move from one country to another as easily, freely and quickly as the terrorists do. So, the idea is to work together and find a way to bring about lasting peace to the region. The countries will be cooperating in the area of intelligence, joint patrolling, among others. However, it takes time and political will on the part of the countries involved.

Do you think inviting other countries to tackle the terrorists is the way to go for Nigeria?

Boko Haram may be based in Nigeria but the sect has reached other countries in the region like Niger, Chad and Northern Cameroon. The sect has created a threat and this has made Niger, Chad and Nigeria pledge to work together to tackle this insurgency. However, the capability to work together between the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments is still being encouraged, and the basis of the idea of working together has to be accepted by all the countries. There may be a situation whereby some people may believe that the Boko Haram problem is in the next country, and not in theirs. So, the summit hosted by France at the request of Nigeria, which also had in attendance officials of the European Union, as well as ministers from the United Kingdom, Mr William Hague and officials of the US Department of State, was to bring the countries in the region together so that they could start sharing information and notes in the area of military and intelligence. The meeting will also create room for regional development. However, the most important thing here is that we want to address the security challenges facing the region as a result of the activities of Boko Haram. We also want to create an atmosphere that would be conducive for productive and structural investments. This is important because there is obviously a series of reasons for terrorism, and part of it is the backwardness of the regions, and the lack of transparency in the circulation of collective wealth. This, therefore, is a development problem as well as a security problem, and we are creating a framework where these problems would be addressed adequately. The EU, the US and other countries also have the same analysis about the cause of the problem, and what we are doing is creating an avenue towards bringing an end to these terrorist behaviours. The abduction of the Chibok girls has shown that if the situation deteriorates, it is the population that will suffer.

In 2012, France sent troops to Mali to stop the rebel movement. Is your country not considering doing the same thing in Nigeria as regards Boko Haram?

The Nigerian situation is not the same as the Malian situation. The situation in Mali had to do with terrorism and drug trafficking, and they are linked to international terrorism. And as we speak now, there is no request by the Nigerian government for foreign troops to come into the country. As a matter of fact, I want to say that there is no need for foreign armies coming into the country. What is needed is joint effort in assessing and handling the situation by countries surrounding Nigeria. France has, however, offered help in providing intelligence data and expertise in the use of the data. So, French soldiers are not coming to help the Nigerian army fight Boko Haram.

As the French ambassador to Nigeria, are you satisfied with the level of cooperation between both countries?

I would say that I am satisfied and I believe that the relation between France and Nigeria has never been better. From the perspective of things, the relationship is improving every day and we can see that through the political, diplomatic and economic exchanges between both countries. It is no secret that we have deepened our relationship since the end of military rule in Nigeria, because we don’t work with military dictatorships. Of course, we will keep discussing more with Nigeria as the country’s role increases in African and international politics. Today, as we speak, Nigeria is the country with which France has the most commercial relationship. Nigeria is one of the biggest oil suppliers to France; we buy every year for more than $4 billion. There is a great potential for French and Nigerian businesses in this economic relation.

How do you think this economic cooperation will benefit both countries, and not bring about a lopsided balance in favour of one country?

I said there is a great potential for French and Nigerian businesses in this relationship that we are building. We can sell a lot of goods which Nigeria is not yet producing to the country. For example, we have French companies that are making planes, helicopters and other products, and we can be Nigeria’s suppliers. At the moment, Nigeria is buying planes and helicopters from other countries. In the case of South Africa, the exchange with France is high because the country is buying its planes and helicopters from French suppliers, and the level of sale is high. However, what we are planning with the Nigerian government is not only to encourage French sales to Nigeria, but encouraging French industrial partnership with Nigeria, and this will bring about development, job creation and lasting and sustainable relationship between both countries. Nigeria is now reaching a point where the game is not buying from the outside, but building things here and selling them here. This will definitely encourage industrialisation and development in the country. So, there won’t be a lopsided balance of trade, rather, both countries will benefit. However, you will need to have improved supply of electricity and infrastructure. But most importantly, we are glad that Nigeria is now beginning to emerge as one of the top countries of the world, and the country must now begin to do things differently and take its politics, governance, security, infrastructure, education, among others, more seriously. We can tell from India, China, Brazil, that when all these elements are taken seriously, development comes very quickly.

Boko Haram: Why France won’t send troops to Nigeria now —French ambassador