Mali donor conference to seek $450 million for African troops

PARIS (Reuters) - A donor conference for Mali next week will seek about 340 million euros ($452 million) for the training and deployment of Malian and African troops fighting Islamist militants in the north of the country, France said on Tuesday.

France, the former colonial power in Mali, plans to hand over the military operation to a U.N.-mandated African mission (AFISMA) but its deployment has been hampered by a lack of supplies, funds and training.