Mali’s Prime Minister Choquel Maiga has challenged sanctions by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France targeting some of the country’s authorities.
In the presence of top Malian public administrators, PM Maïga maintained that “neither Paris nor ECOWAS take into account the reality in Mali”.
According to him some Malian authorities see the hand of France in this.
“ECOWAS has opposed the reality of the texts. We have opposed the principle of the reality in the field. We are prepared to hold elections, but having proceeded beforehand, as it has recommended in the recent past, to amend the texts to avoid political crises and repetitive post-election disputes” he pointed out.
The head of the Malian government, however, dismissed rumours of a power struggle between Mali and the regional organisation.
“People have spoken of an arm-wrestling match between the sub-regional organisation and us. This is not the case. Others have spoken of suffocation. We ask ourselves: What interest do countries that we all consider to be brothers have in stifling us?” he postulated.
With regard to France, Maïga said Mali’s former colonial power should understand the “deep aspirations” of Malians.
“No one is better placed than France to understand our deepest aspirations. Is she not the one who, putting an end to royal absolutism, inspired people to think and represent themselves against the powerful and the torturers?” he added.
Can France, “the homeland of the rights of man and the citizen, condemn men who aspire to take charge of their lives without any foreign supervision? Between the two countries, the links are so solid that they will survive passing moods” he said.
If it is said that Paris seeks to maintain its political, economic and diplomatic influence in Mali “Russia remain a traditional ally.” Maïga said.
“People have tried dissuading us from developing a partnership with Russia. This is to forget the facts of our contemporary history. Few countries surpass the former USSR in the mobilisation of development aid for Mali” he indicated.
The Malian premier maintained that his country has not been isolated “and will never be because it benefits today from the multifarous support of several countries”.
CD/lb/as/APA