Mali announces termination of defense deal with France

The Malian authorities announced "flagrant violations" of the republic's sovereignty by the French military. Bamako broke the defense agreement with Paris,

Mali is terminating its defense deal with France, government spokesman Colonel Abdoulae Maiga, who was prime minister in 2017, announced in a televised address.

According to him, the Malian authorities “regret a serious deterioration” in relations with France and observe “flagrant violations” of the sovereignty of the republic by the French military, reports France24. In particular, Mayga said that France violated the airspace of Mali several times.

The colonel recalled that in June last year, France, which had been conducting an operation against militants in the African country since 2013, decided to reduce its military contingent there, and in February to withdraw troops from Mali.

The authorities of Mali denied the presence of Wagner PMC fighters in the country Politics

Bamako notified Paris of the termination of the agreement, which was concluded in 2014, on the afternoon of Monday, May 2. France has not yet responded to this decision.

The Elysee Palace announced the withdrawal of the French military from Mali on February 17. By the end of June, participants in the French anti-terrorist operation Barhan and the Takuba mission, which involves several other European countries, will leave the country by the end of June. The decision was made "due to numerous obstacles from the transitional authorities of Mali".

Relations between Paris and Bamako deteriorated against the backdrop of Mali's cooperation with the Russian side. In September 2021, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the Malian authorities had turned to one of the Russian private military companies (PMCs) for help in the fight against terrorism. Lavrov stressed that the Russian government had nothing to do with the situation. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov also reported that there were no representatives of the Russian armed forces in Mali.

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Shortly thereafter, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced his intention to impose sanctions against Wagner PMCs. On December 13, the European Union adopted restrictions against PMCs and persons associated with it. A few days later, the Canadian authorities, as well as France, Germany, the UK and 11 other EU countries, released a statement that Wagner PMC mercenaries were deployed in Mali. Bamako denies this and insists that only Russian instructors are in the country, whose task is to strengthen the capabilities of the national defense forces.

In RUSSIA, mercenarism is prohibited by law. According to Art. 359 of the Criminal Code, participation in armed conflicts on the territory of another country faces up to seven years in prison, and for recruiting, training, financing a mercenary, “as well as his use in an armed conflict or hostilities” - up to 15 years. Mercenaries include persons acting in order to obtain material rewards and who are not citizens of a state participating in an armed conflict or hostilities, who do not permanently reside on its territory, and who are not persons sent to perform official duties.

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