The ruling junta in Mali “navigates on sight, from failure to failure”launched Friday, September 2, the head of French diplomacy Catherine Colonna, a few weeks after the military withdrawal of France from this country plagued by jihadism and violence.
“In Mali, we are seeing the progress of armed terrorist groups throughout the country, Malians displaced by the thousands”she said in front of the French ambassadors gathered in Paris for their annual conference. “The regime, author of a double coup, attacks Denmark one day, the next day in the Ivory Coast, and still in France, to try to make people forget that it is sailing on sight, from failure to failure, harnessed to a group of Russian mercenaries”she continued.
France, whose relations with the Malian junta in power since 2020 have become execrable, completed its departure from the country on August 15, after nine years of military engagement against the jihadists.
Malian authorities have since turned to Russia for military support, with “instructors” whom Paris and Washington accuse of being mercenaries of the sulphurous Wagner group.
“New competition”
In Africa, “new competition is emerging, some aggressively or unscrupulously”said M.me Colonna, while France and Russia are also engaged in an information war, particularly in Mali.
At the end of April in this country, a French drone surprised mercenaries staging a fake mass grave near a French base, to accuse Paris of war crimes. “We must dismantle the manipulations and cut short the lies, we must also regain control of our own story, of our image”launched the Minister, referring to a “strategic issue”.
“It is up to us to demonstrate that we are the right partner, the most reliable, the most respectful”said M.me Colonna, assuring that Paris was determined to “to act with States and dialogue directly with civil societies”.
“We will remain present with African States that so wish, and in support of the needs that they express sovereignly”she repeated.
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