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The French ambassador has 72 hours to leave Mali. The country expels French ambassador after “hostile and outrageous” comments about its transitional government.
“The government of the Republic of Mali informs the national and international public that today … the ambassador of France in Bamako, his excellency Joel Meyer … was notified of the decision of the government asking him to leave the national territory within 72 hours.”
On January 28th, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed that Mali’s military government was “out of control”. He called the military government illegitimate and accused it of doing business with the Wagner PMCs.
The Malian government “vigorously condemned and rejected these remarks, which are contrary to the development of friendly relations between nations.”
The official press service reminded that Mali is not a French prefecture, but a sovereign country, and that France should restrain its colonial policies and stop interfering in the country’s national affairs.
Rebel officers led a coup in August 2020. Relations between Mali and France deteriorated as a result of the decision of military authorities to hold elections in February and as they proposed holding power until 2025.
The next step may be an official demand for the withdrawal of all French troops from the territory of Mali. French Defence Minister Florence Parly already claimed on January29 that French troops would not stay in Mali if the price was too high.
