Mali’s PM Maiga: ‘We did not abandon cooperation with France’
-
Loading... - Rivera Margarita
- 14 Mar 2023
- 58 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Mali’s military rulers say they did not force France to remove its soldiers from the West African nation. France withdrew its troops last year ending a nine-year military operation in the country to fight armed groups.
In the absence of French forces, Mali’s military rulers brought in Russia’s Wagner group to boost government soldiers.
Last month, the European Union slapped sanctions on the head of Wagner’s forces in Mali, saying mercenaries “have been involved in acts of violence and multiple human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings”.
Mali’s Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga spoke to Al Jazeera about the ongoing fight against rebels in Mali, as well as Bamako’s relations with France, Russia and the African Union.
Al Jazeera: How do you currently describe relations with African nations, especially after the recent African Union summit that maintained the pending membership of Mali?
Choguel Kokalla Maiga: Many African leaders understand Mali’s position in a good manner. We are heading towards what the people want, which is to fight terrorism and achieve security and stability and maintain the constitutional system. All that is happening from the pressure of organisations. Even before the summit, there was a visit of officials, and after following what we heard from them relaying to the African leaders on the situation on the ground, I believe there is a closeness in viewpoints. Read More…
