The Minister of Foreign Affairs advocates “discretion” in the government’s action to free the journalist, now a hostage for 500 days.
It will soon be 500 days since French journalist Olivier Dubois was held hostage in Mali. “Every effort is being made to obtain (his) release”, said Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday. at Release during his first interview with a national daily.
“Let no one doubt it,” she adds.
“Discretion is essential”
Olivier Dubois has been held captive since April 8, 2021, when he was kidnapped in Gao, northern Mali, by the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (Jnim).
“We know that these efforts can take time to produce effects,” continues Catherine Colonna.
The Minister explains that “discretion is essential to the success of these efforts”. It is, according to her, the only “rule” to respect.
“He is not on vacation in Mali”
This Friday, the family of Olivier Dubois launched a large-scale initiative to warn of the fate of the journalist. The “Family Olivier Dubois collective” invites on this occasion to “a holiday duty” consisting in sending a postcard to Emmanuel Macron to question him on the journalist’s too long detention.
The objective is to “remind our President Emmanuel Macron that Olivier Dubois, our son and brother has his feet in the sand, that he has sun but that he is not on vacation in Mali”, continues the collective.
Catherine Colonna affirms in this respect that the Quai d’Orsay is “in regular contact with the family of Olivier Dubois” and that she asked this week to receive it. A nuanced version by the hostage’s family, who indicated that “a common appeal” was offered to them by the deputy director of the Quai d’Orsay, Alexis Le Cour Grandmaison, on July 26, but that no meeting in person with the Minister would not have been offered to them.
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