Germany’s Merkel set to visit Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger

BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel is heading to West Africa this week, visiting Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to express Germany’s commitment to stability and developmental co-operation in the region and support for the countries’ fight against extremism.

Merkel’s office said Monday the chancellor will meet separately with the leaders of all three countries, and attend a meeting with the leaders of the so-called G5 Sahel countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Chad in Ouagadougou on Wednesday.

She will also visit German soldiers stationed in Mali as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, meet with members of civil society, attend a discussion with students in Mali and visit the construction site of a women’s shelter in Niger.

She will visit Mali on Thursday and Niger on Friday.