As France plans to pull forces out of Mali in March, the international community is divided and concerned over whether it's too soon and if the country will spiral further into chaos. We look at what is still unresolved and what is still at stake.

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CBC's Laura Lynch in Bamako, Mali

The soldiers of France are expected to leave Mali in a few weeks, and turn the security of the country over to Malian and other African troops. While the French say there were plenty of successes against Islamist militants who'd taken over half the country, there are still reports of skirmishes, roadside bombs and this morning the first suicide bomber.

The CBC's Laura Lynch is following the upheaval in Mali and she joined us from the country's capital of Bamako.

Middle East & North Africa Political Analyst, Imad Mesdoua

French troops may have given the rebels a terrible beating, but underlying problems remain. With more on what's unresolved and what's still at stake, we were joined by Imad Mesdoua. He's a political analyst who advises governments and corporations on political risk in the Middle East and North Africa. He joined us from London.

Editor of Africa Confidential, Patrick Smith

France didn't take much time to commit its soldiers to the Mali crisis -- and seems equally anxious to go.

To discuss how much of this decision is political and how its being perceived in France, we were joined by Patrick Smith, editor of Africa Confidential, a respected newsletter tracking the continent's political and economic issues. He joined us from Paris.

This segment was produced by The Current's Naheed Mustafa and Vanessa Greco.

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Alaa Murabit on sexual violence against women during the Arab Spring revolts