In the spotlight: the future darkens in Mali for Minusma

Published on : 21/07/2022 – 10:17

This is the follow-up to the case of the 49 Ivorian soldiers arrested in Mali and accused of being mercenaries: the ruling junta on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of the spokesperson for the UN mission in the country, Olivier Salgado. The junta accuses him of having published information that it considers ” tendentious and unacceptable ” on the social network Twitter. Namely, this remark: soldiers arrested (…) have been deployed for several years in Mali as part of logistical support on behalf of one of our contingents. »

A precision of the spokesperson of the Minusma which undermines the version of the Malian authorities who accuse these Ivorian soldiers of being mercenaries. Maliweb in Bamako states that ” the Malian government criticizes Olivier Salgado for having been unable to provide proof of the assertions contained in his tweet ».

Provocation ?

In fact, notice Young Africa« the communication of the spokesperson of the Minusma was perceived as a provocation by the authorities, while the administrative imbroglio persists around the presence of these soldiers ».

The showdown is therefore intensifying with the blue helmets whose rotations have been suspended until further notice. ” This expulsion is reminiscent of that, last January, of the French ambassador Joël Meyer, notice again Young Africa. In the midst of a diplomatic crisis with Paris, the Malian authorities had given the diplomat seventy-two hours to leave the country. “And the Pan-African site concludes:” the future of the UN mission, whose mandate was renewed at the end of June, seems more uncertain than ever ».

On the go ?

« Olivier Salgado, persona non grata in Mali: the Minusma, yet another whipping boy for the junta exclaims Today in Burkina Faso. ” With this operation, Mali still hits hard on the Minusma, estimates the Ouagalais daily. (…) Surprising attitude all the same when we know that the ECOWAS sanctions have been lifted, the World Bank will resume its disbursements. So, asks Today, why, this reluctance which borders on animosity for often questions that an underground diplomacy can solve? So what’s going on? It may be necessary for the appointed mediator of ECOWAS Faure Gnassingbé to start with that, because at this rate, we have the impression that perhaps after Barkhane and Takuba, Mali could ask for the departure of Minusma. »

Force d’occupation ?

So do the Malian soldiers in power want to get rid of the blue helmets? Nothing is official yet, tip You cut it. « If it is true that the Malian junta never wanted the renewal of the mandate for one year of the UN structure intervened on June 30, it must be said that the authorities have not yet crossed the Rubicon by officially requesting his departure. They even say their availability to cooperate with everyone. And they will undoubtedly leave the dirty work to the famous civil society organizations that they manipulate at will, point WakatSéra, some of them being purely and simply their creation. The Yerewolo Movement Standing on the Remparts is already setting the tone. Through a letter addressed to the head of Minusma, Yerewolo accuses the UN mission of being “became an occupying force that revives and maintains fear, ethnic divisions and mistrust between communities in Mali”, and asks his “pure and simple withdrawal” Malian territory “before September 22”. Another ultimatum! », exclaims WakatSéra who concludes with this question that looks like an affirmation: « is the standoff therefore engaged between the Malian junta and the UN, through the Minusma? »

Recover ?

Anyway, warn The countrystill in Burkina, “ at the rate at which Bamako multiplies the acts of rupture, it risks alienating everyone and finally finding itself alone with Wagner, facing the enemy [jihadiste] which gives a hard time to the FAMA, to the Malian armed forces. Of course, as long as she continues to untie the purse strings, she will always have the accompaniment of Russian mercenaries. But Russia alone cannot overcome terrorism in Mali without the support of other partners. That is to say if Bamako must pull itself together, still believes Le Pays. Because, it is useless to want to play the Zorro whereas one does not always have the means of its policy. »

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