In the face of terrorism, Bamako and Cairo have decided to join forces.
Towards closer cooperation between Mali and Egypt? Mali’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, announced that he had had a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, Dr. Badr Abdel Atty, on Thursday 8 August.
“This cordial and fraternal conversation provided an opportunity to discuss the prospects for strengthening bilateral relations in priority areas, in particular defence and security in the context of the fight against terrorism,” the head of Mali’s diplomacy said on X (formerly Twitter).
Like Mali, Egypt has been facing a jihadist insurgency for several years, led by a group affiliated to the Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula, albeit of lesser intensity.
Abdoulaye Diop explained that the talks with Dr Abdel Atty also focused on “capacity-building and the sharing of experience in the fields of diplomacy and health, as well as the economic, social and cultural spheres, not forgetting political support.”
The two ministers also discussed “current geopolitical developments in the sub-region, marked by the creation of the Confederation of Sahel States.”
On 6 July, the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger held their first summit within the framework of the Alliance of Sahel States.
At the end of this meeting, they adopted the treaty establishing the Confederation of Sahel States, marking a further step towards their definitive break with the Economic Community of West African States, accused of
being manipulated by foreign powers.
In a bid to cultivate other partnerships, Mali, along with Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad, joined the Atlantic Initiative for the Sahel, created by Morocco.
AC/fss/as/APA