In gratitude for aiding in the fight against Islamist rebels, Malian officials will provide French President Francois Hollande with another camel, after the previous one he received was killed and consumed by the family he entrusted with its care in Timbuktu, an official from Mali reported.
On Tuesday, a local government representative from northern Mali announced that a replacement camel would be sent to France.
“We swiftly arranged for a larger and more attractive camel as soon as we learned about the incident,” the unnamed official stated, citing his lack of authorization to speak with the press.
“The new camel is destined for Paris. We feel embarrassed by what transpired; that gift certainly didn’t deserve such a fate.”
Hollande was gifted the camel during his visit to Mali in February, shortly after he dispatched French troops to assist in combating al Qaeda-affiliated militants advancing southward from their stronghold in the northern region of the country.
During that visit, the president humorously suggested he might use the camel to navigate the congested streets of Paris. Ultimately, he decided to leave it with a family in the town bordering the Sahara desert.
Reports from French media indicated that Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was responsible for keeping Hollande informed about the camel’s well-being and had the unfortunate task of notifying him about its demise last week.
“The information was relayed by soldiers stationed in the area,” remarked a French government official.
Over the years, various French leaders have received numerous exotic or wild animal gifts from Africa and other regions.
Just last week, a thief used a chainsaw to remove a tusk from the skeleton of an elephant that had been presented to Louis XIV by a king from Portugal in 1668. Law enforcement apprehended the robber while he fled, the tusk tucked under his arm.
