Mali’s transitional Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga on Friday said the relationship between Mali and France has not yet reached the point of withdrawing ambassadors and cutting diplomatic ties, reported The Republic World.
In an interview with Sputnik, Maiga said Mali and France have strong links because of their shared history and people. He said the two countries share historical, cultural, and economic ties as a result of their human relationships. Notably, France’s contingent in Mali is its largest, apart from the one in Algeria.
Maiga also stated that the French government should recognize that Mali’s government is responsible for the country’s security. He also assured Mali will not hesitate to ask for assistance from other partner countries if they are not satisfied with certain Paris acts.
Meanwhile, on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said France has no intention to retain its military presence in mali for a long time.
“We have no intention to remain [in Mali], that is why we are closing the bases. Our work in Tessalit or Kidal [northern Mali] is not aimed at retaining bases,” Macron said on the sidelines of the Africa-France summit in Montpellier on late Friday.
“France is only there to fight terrorism, not to support this or that regime,” he added.
Macron said that Paris wanted to leave the bases in Mali as soon as possible, but that required a strong state in mali and significant investment projects in the country.
France deployed military troops in Mali in 2012 as part of Operation Barkhane against terrorist groups in the Sahel region after jihadists took control of the north. But despite their presence, the conflict spiraled and spread to Mali’s central region as well as neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
In June, France decided to reduce its Sahel deployment following a military takeover in Mali in August 2020.
