By Jean-Sylvestre MONGRENIER, Research Fellow at the Thomas More Institute | Available in French.

The spring offensive of the National movement for the liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and its allies, the Islamists of Ansar Dine, has permitted to conquest the North of Mali in just a few days. On 2012, April, the 6th, the Azawad’s independency was proclaimed. The Tuareg’s claims must be replaced in a long term history but they should not occult the most worrying geopolitical problems in that region. From the western power’s point of view, the strategic priority is fighting against terrorism and containing the chaos logics. De facto, the “afghanisation” of Sahara and the dramatic lines that might converge must not be (...)

A few hours away before the opening of the Summit of the NATO in Chicago, Philippe Maze-Sencier, member of the Board of the Thomas More Institute, and Jean-Sylvestre Mongrenier, Research Fellow to the Thomas More Institute, explain the sense and the reasons of the commitment of France in the Atlantic Alliance | Article published in French in Le Figaro of May 19-20th, 2012

On 19th and 20th May, France’s newly elected President François Hollande will travel to Chicago to attend NATO’s 2012 summit, where critical issues such as the war in Afghanistan, anti-ballistic missile defence and the pooling and sharing of the Allies’ military capabilities will be discussed. In Chicago, the French President will immediately be thrown (...)

Interview with Jean-Sylvestre MONGRENIER, Research Fellow to the Thomas More Institute | Published on Le Monde.fr, May 18th 2012 | Available in French

On November 19th and 20th, 2010, NATO adopted during a summit in Lisbon a new strategic concept defining the threats pressing on its member states, the crises and the tendencies of the international relations and the means to face it. It is the road map of the Alliance for coming ten years, and il re-confirms that the commitment begun to defend itself mutually against any attack stays the base of the euro-Atlantic security. Jean-Sylvestre MONGRENIER, Research Fellow to the Thomas More Institute, analyzes the relevance of the strategic concept of the NATO on and a half the year (...)

By Jean-Sylvestre MONGRENIER, Research Fellow to theThomas More Institute | Published in French in Le Temps (Switzerland), May 18th, 2012

The exit of NATO’s troops from the Afghan theater and the handover of the mission to Kabul will be the most important issues to be discussed at the Chicago summit. The guideline is to plan an all square withdrawal and to support the Afghan central power in its mission of territorial control. De facto, the situation in Afghanistan includes multiform stakes, and a disinterest for those questions would have very serious consequences. 

Firstly, it must be reminded that the Western involvement in Afghanistan following “9-11” was conducted with the United Nations’ agreement, and in the (...)

By Antonin TISSERON, Research Fellow at the Thomas More Institute | Available in French 

Alors que le Mali s’enfonce dans une crise dont il est difficile de voir le bout, le Niger apparaît relativement épargné. Mais dans une région sous haute tension, avec une montée de la violence dans le nord du Nigeria et au Soudan, une Libye dont le pouvoir central semble incapable de faire respecter son autorité sur les marges sud, ou encore une situation de crise alimentaire, l’avenir de ce pays apparaît incertain. À bien des égards en effet, le voisin oriental du Mali est dans l’œil du cyclone, accroissant l’importance des réformes engagées pour renforcer la stabilité et la cohésion d’un État fragilisé par la (...)