Mali has issued a warning to the United Nations, stating that it will not remain passive if foreign governments intervene in neighboring Niger. This comes after both Mali and Niger’s military juntas entered into a mutual defense pact. The coup leaders in Niger, who took power on July 26 and detained President Mohamed Bazoum, are facing threats of military intervention by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS if diplomatic efforts to reinstate the democratically elected leader fail.
Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, representing the junta at the UN General Assembly, expressed strong opposition to any military intervention by ECOWAS, emphasizing that such an invasion would directly threaten Mali’s peace and security, as well as the region’s stability.
The Mali junta has prioritized sovereignty, ending cooperation with France and its allies in the fight against extremism, and shifting its military and political alignment towards Russia. Diop reiterated criticism of France’s “neo-colonial domination” and praised Russia’s support at the General Assembly.
Mali has also pushed out the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA, which is set to complete its expedited withdrawal by the end of the year. Despite the withdrawal, Mali assures that measures have been taken to maintain state services and exercise sovereignty throughout its national territory.
The Sahel region faces increased instability due to jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, making international observers concerned about the region’s security and humanitarian situation. Mali has been grappling with jihadism and a multifaceted crisis since 2012, and hostilities have resumed in the north, coinciding with the MINUSMA withdrawal.
