Economic relations, regional security, and diplomatic tensions dominated talks in Bamako on Tuesday, September 8, as Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop received Charlotte Pierre, the newly appointed Africa Director at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Choosing Mali for her inaugural field visit, Pierre met with Malian officials to explore avenues for expanding trade, attracting productive investments, and facilitating broader partnerships between economic operators from both nations. The discussions come ahead of the planned Mali-Kura Forum in Bamako, designed to showcase local economic opportunities and foster bilateral trade, which currently stands at £55 million, heavily skewed toward British exports.
Beyond trade, the meeting addressed development assistance and pressing regional geopolitical concerns across the Sahel. Minister Diop briefed the UK delegation on the objectives of the Confederation of Sahel States and highlighted ongoing counter-terrorism operations against regional armed groups. Taking advantage of the UK’s permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Diop urged London to encourage external actors—specifically pointing to Ukraine—to refrain from destabilizing actions in the Sahel, referencing Bamako’s 2024 diplomatic rift with Kyiv following clashes near the Algerian border. Pierre emphasized maintaining direct, constructive dialogue and diversifying cooperation across humanitarian, agricultural, and security domains.
MD/te/lb/abj/APA