Germany, Mali trade accusations as relationship shows strains
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Loading... - Simo Essuma
- 29 Aug 2022
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Lambrecht made the call in an interview with the German media on Tuesday.
This is happening after a series of incidents that threatened to strain ties between Bamako and Berlin.
“Before the next rotation, it must be ensured that German soldiers can enter the country and also leave it again,” Lambrecht said.
She said she had been “very irritated by the events of the past few days – from the detention of soldiers from Côte d’Ivoire to the ambiguities surrounding the departure for some Bundeswehr soldiers, and to the questioning of the rotation of UN troops.”
The Malian government had earlier demanded clarification on the relationship between the German government and 49 soldiers from Ivory Coast arrested in the Malian capital last week.
The Ivorian soldiers were detained on July 10 for allegedly entering the country illegally, destabilising the Malian government, and being mercenaries.
However, according to the German Defence Ministry, the troops have been deployed in the country since 2019, with the knowledge and approval of Malian authorities, to guard a UN base at Bamako airport.
Ties between Berlin and Bamako have been strained since a military coup in Mali last year, though the situation has further deteriorated in recent months, with the military government in Mali declaring that it would not permit any personnel changes to the international forces in the country for the time being. Read More...
