Tonight on Africa 54: French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday the removal of the French military from Mali but insists the pullback does not constitute a failure of its nine-year mission to fight Islamist militants in the Sahel; VOA speaks to analysts about Western concerns over Russia’s aggressive stance towards Ukraine but continues strengthening ties with Africa; Nigerian athlete Simidele Adeagbo lodges a formal complaint about gender discrimination at the Beijing Olympics. Stay tuned for this and more.