Hollande’s camel turned into tagine

A CAMEL that was given as a gift to President Hollande as gratitude for the invasion of Mali has been eaten by the family looking after it.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the baby camel had been offered while Hollande was on a visit to Timbuktu. But it had been impractical to take it back to France and place in a zoo, so it was given to a local family for safe-keeping.

Mr Le Drian gave the president the bad news at a recent cabinet meeting – and revealed that the hapless animal had been turned into a tagine for a family feast. It is thought the family had misunderstood the nature of the gift.

The baby camel had been given as a gift as thanks after Timbuktu was stormed by French troops to drive out Islamist rebels. Now the Malian government has said it will send a “more beautiful and bigger” camel direct to Paris.
Photo: ©Présidence de la République - S. Ruet