West Africa's security woes no longer France's concern, minister says

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -The insecurity plaguing West Africa is no longer France's concern, its state minister for ties with Francophone countries and international partnerships said on Friday, a week after Paris handed over control of its last major military base in the region. Thani Mohamed-Soilihi was speaking to journalists in a phone briefing in South Africa, where he was attending the Group of 20 top economies' week of discussions on global development. "I'm sorry to say, but it no longer concerns us," Mohamed-Soilihi said, in answer to a Reuters question about the risk of insecurity posed by France's military absence.