Hollande backs Mali president as violence flares with Tuaregs

French President Francois Hollande gave his full backing to Mali leader Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, who left Paris abruptly Tuesday to tackle growing violence with Tuareg tribes in the north of the country. Keita had been expected to stay here until Thursday and meet parliamentary and other government officials but the surge of violence around the town of Kidal forced his early departure. Hollande's office said that the French President "reaffirmed" in the meeting with his Malian counterpart his staunch support for Keita and "recalled his commitment to be at the side of the Malian authorities for the reconstruction of the country." France intervened in Mali at the request of the government there after Islamist-led rebels threatened to take over the country, having held the northern part of Mali for almost a year. French forces, backed by Malian and African troops, forced the Islamist fighters to leave Mali but the resident Tuaregs, who had initially supported the Islamists, were left behind. Hollande said that France wanted the central administration in the Malian capital, Bamako, to be revamped and also that local government be developed with a view to better integration of the ethnic groups in the north. The French government has given Euros 30 million (USD 40 million) to help finance the above projects and France has committed a further Euros 250 million for the coming two years to help develop Mali. Hollande and Keita also discussed the security situation and agreed that vigilance was needed to prevent a resurgence of terrorism in Mali. "France will continue to support Mali by keeping onsite a force which, if needed, will be able to intervene in support of the United Nations mission," Hollande's office said. The UN has an estimated 11,000 men deployed in Mali, in addition to police forces of around 1,400. Most of the contingents are being supplied by African nations, with support from European Union trainers. France is keeping an anti-terrorist, rapid reaction force of about 1,000 men to handle any threats in Mali or surrounding countries. Keita also affirmed to the French leader that reconciliation in Mali was "his first priority" and he was creating a ministry to tackle this issue.