The estrangement between our country and France is far from fading. After the dismissal of the Ambassador of France from Mali in May 2022; the denunciation of the defense agreement with France in January 2022; and drive out the French army, including the last soldier to leave Gao in August 2022; our country has just officially challenged the status of France’s penholder on all questions examined by the Security Council concerning it. This decision to reject the role of penholder of France on issues concerning Mali at the UN will it not play on the renewal of the mandate of Minusma. The question is worth its weight in gold when you know that it is France that is bringing the draft resolution on the MINUSMA mandate to the UN Security Council.
In a correspondence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation addressed to Pedro Comissario AFONSO, President of the United Nations Security Council, Mali rejects the status of spokesperson for France on all its issues examined by this body of the United Nations. ‘UN.
In his correspondence, the Minister of Foreign Affairs recalls that through press releases dated January 12, 2022 and April 26, 2022, the Government of Mali alerted national and international public opinion to hostile acts, in particular the violation of the airspace of Mali by aircraft of the French Forces.
“These public alerts were followed, on August 15, 2022, by a letter by which the Government of the Republic of Mali lodged a complaint with the Security Council for acts of aggression, violation of our airspace, subversion and destabilization,” says the letter addressed to the President of the UN Security Council.
Thus, in view of the seriousness of the facts, which at the very least raise questions about the objectivity and impartiality of the French Republic, and pending the holding of the special meeting of the Security Council requested by Mali, the Government of the Republic of Mali, by this correspondence, officially challenges the status of France’s penholder on all questions examined by the Security Council concerning Mali.
Minister Abdoulaye DIOP recalled that since the inclusion of the situation in our country on the agenda of the Security Council, in accordance with its resolution 2085 (2012) of December 20, 2012, France has always carried the pen on all questions concerning Mali before this august body, including with regard to the initiative and the carrying of draft resolutions relating to the mandate of MINUSMA or the sanctions regime concerning Mali.
It should be noted that the government of Mali has denounced more than 50 deliberate cases of violation of its airspace and espionage of the Malian army’s rights of way by foreign aircraft and drones of the French armed forces.
Also, Mali accuses France of refusing to comply following the instructions of the air traffic control services, the falsification of flight documents, the landing of helicopters in localities outside aerodromes, without prior authorization”.
Added to this are the flights of intelligence aircraft and drones operating at high altitude to engage in activities considered to be espionage, intimidation or even subversion.
In addition to espionage, the French forces that were driven out of Mali are accused of subversion by publishing false images fabricated from scratch to accuse the FAMa of being the perpetrators of the killings of civilians, with the aim of tarnishing the image of the Malian Armed Forces committed to the liberation of the territory, the protection and the safeguard of the populations tested by long years of crisis.
BY MODIBO KONE