France Suspends Counter-Terrorism Cooperation with Mali

France has suspended its counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali and expelled two Malian diplomats following the arrest of a French envoy in Bamako. The expelled officials were given until Saturday to leave the country, in a move that escalates tensions between the two nations. Mali had earlier declared five French embassy staff members persona non grata, prompting their departure last Sunday. The dispute stems from Mali’s arrest of a French national accused of espionage, a claim France has rejected while demanding the envoy’s release. The standoff adds to already strained relations since Mali’s junta, led by President Assimi Goita, seized power through successive coups in 2020 and 2021 and shifted alliances away from France toward Russia. The West African nation, battling an ongoing security crisis marked by jihadist violence and criminal gangs since 2012, has also accused foreign states of seeking to destabilise its government.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale