Mali’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister, Abdoulaye Diop says Paris positions and assessments of his country’s transition led to the expulsion of France’s man diplomat in Bamako.
“There is a political and diplomatic dispute with France,” Abdoulaye Diop said after the French ambassador to Bamako, Joel Meyers, was ordered to leave the country.
“What we wanted in requesting the departure of the ambassador is that, while waiting for the French authorities to clarify their position and their appreciation of the transition authorities, he can leave the national territory and return at any time, if France defines its position,” the head of Mali’s diplomacy emphasised.
He added: “There is certainly a political and diplomatic dispute that we are working to resolve. We do not accept that you are here and continue to call the authorities illegitimate. I want to make it clear that this is a position of principle because this position of France is contrary to the principle of friendship and kindly relations between countries”.
According to Diop, the expulsion was a direct response to France’s posture toward the authorities steering the Malian transition.
“We know that France itself aligns its position with that of Ecowas, which has never questioned the transitional authorities, neither the African Union and the United Nations, nor even the European Union. So, France is the only country in this posture of direct attacks against the legality and legitimacy of the transition authorities”.
However, the Malian Foreign Minister specified that “the disputes with France do not affect French nationals who are among us nor do they affect French companies which can continue to go about their business. French nationals are still welcomed in Mali, so there is no problem between the French and Malian populations, neither here nor in France”.
The French ambassador in Bamako was ordered to leave Mali within 72 hours of the notification to that effect which was received on January 31, 2022.
The expulsion is “related to the outrageous statements that have been made against the transition authorities” by the head of French diplomacy, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
CD/fss/as/APA