French President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday host counterparts from five Sahel countries seeking more backing in the fight against a murderous jihadist uprising even as France's military role is being questioned.
Recent tensions between France and Sahel governments could make for a tricky exchange at the six-way talks in the southwestern city of Pau, to be attended also by the heads of the UN, African Union, and EU Council.
Macron insists his counterparts from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania and Chad must use the occasion to express public support for France's military presence -- by far the largest foreign contribution to the fight against African jihadists aligned to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Visiting the region last month, the French president complained of a lack of "clear political condemnation of anti-French feelings" on the ground.
"I see opposition movements, groups, who denounce the French presence as a neo-colonial, imperialist," Macron said in Niamey, adding he was loath to send soldiers to countries were their presence was not "clearly wanted".
Jihadist fighters have recently stepped up their campaign against military and civilian targets, and earlier this month, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that "terrorist groups are gaining ground."
On Friday, hundreds of people gathered in the Malian capital Bamako to protest the presence of foreign troops, carrying posters reading: "Down with France, Barkhane must leave" and "France is a brake on our development."