Russia and China have blocked a French bid for the United Nations to back sanctions imposed on Mali by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
The purpose of the French-sponsored resolution, was to obtain the support of the UN Security Council against the junta in power in Mali after the Ecowas sanctions.
But the resolution was contested by some international powers, including Russia and China, two of the five countries (along with France, England and the United States) that have veto powers at the UN Security Council.
According to Russia’s representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenza, “it would be irresponsible, under the current circumstances, to leave this country (Mali) to its own fate, especially in terms of reducing military and socio-economic aid.”
Moscow, Bamako’s main ally in this crisis maintains that “the imposition of sanctions against Mali could further deteriorate the situation for the civilian population.”
This position is rejected by France and the United States who are oppose to the junta’s five-year transition to democracy.
France, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, supports the “very clear and firm position of Ecowas in the face of the excesses of the junta.”
Paris announced that the 25 countries of the EU, which are meeting on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 January 2022 in Brest, France, were preparing in turn to toughen sanctions against Mali.
The U.S. State Department urged “the transitional government to keep its commitment to the Malian people to bring democracy to the country.”
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that “a five-year transition would only prolong the pain of the Malian people.”
The US diplomat therefore calls for “free, fair and transparent” elections in Mali as soon as possible.
Bedevilled by jihadists, Mali has thus become the scene of a new turf war for influence between Moscow and Paris.
The rapprochement of this former French colony with Russia revives bad memories of the Cold War for Paris in some of its ex colonies after independence.
In a bitter statement, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, accused Russian mercenaries of supporting the Malian junta under the guise of fighting jihadists.
CD/fss/as/APA