Readout of the President’s Phone Call with President Hollande of France

The President and French President Hollande spoke today to continue their ongoing consultations on shared security concerns, including Mali, Algeria, Libya, and Syria.  On Mali, the President expressed his support for France’s leadership of the international community’s efforts to deny terrorists a safehaven in Mali.  President Hollande thanked President Obama for the significant support provided by the United States to this effort.  The two leaders emphasized the need to rapidly establish the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, as well as the importance of the Interim Government of Mali establishing a political roadmap that will lead to elections and restoration of democratic governance.  President Obama and President Hollande condemned last week’s terrorist act in Algeria and affirmed their mutual commitment to countering terrorism more broadly in North Africa.  They noted the importance of sustained assistance to Libya as it works to build effective security sector institutions. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Syria, expressing their strong concern about the humanitarian crisis affecting not just Syria but also neighboring countries and reiterating their commitment to assisting the Syrian people achieve political transition to a post-Asad Syria.