French President Francois Hollande received Thursday former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan at the Elysee Palace, to share views on the situation in Mali and the UN's peacekeeping mission in the West African country.

The meeting came just "a few days after the UN Security Council's unanimous adoption of the resolution 2100" which authorized the creation of a peacekeeping force, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), "in response to the request of the Malian authorities and African regional organizations."

During the meeting, "the president recalled the issues of the international conference on the development of Mali, which he will co-chair with the Malian interim president and president of the European Commission on May 15 in Brussels," Hollande's office said in a statement.

Hollande and Annan also shared views on "the priority to the fight against drug trafficking which threatens the stability and security" in the West Africa region.

According to the resolution 2100 adopted last Thursday, MINUSMA will comprise up to 11,200 military personnel and 1,440 international police in Mali. They will have a mandate to help restore peace, especially in northern cities.