credit: twitter.compresidencemali /  French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian meets with Transitional President of Mali Bah N’daw in  Bamako Oct. 26, 2020 

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

In the first by visit to Mali by a French politician since army officers ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August, France Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drain on Sunday met officials of the west African nation. Drian is visiting Mali  October 25 to 26.  The French  minister has  been  received by Transitional President of Mali Bah N’daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and will meet with his counterpart, Zeini Moulaye, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.  France and Mali clashed on the issue of meeting with members of the Islamist insurgency in the country.   Mali’s interim prime minister Ouane said he is open to talks with Islamist militants, but Le Drian rejected any such overtures.  

“The conclusions of the inclusive national talks … very clearly indicated the necessity of an offer of dialogue with these armed groups,” Ouane said at a news conference in Bamako with French Foreign Minister  Le Drian.  

Minister Le Drian apparently indicated his opposition, pointing out that the Islamist groups had not signed a 2015 peace deal that it considers a framework for restoring peace to northern Mali.  Le Drian said the reason for his visit was to “establish a relationship of trust with the new authorities”.  During the visit, the French minister will take stock of the recent “positive developments in the transition process in Mali that should lead to the holding of credible elections and the restoration of constitutional order”.  The minister’s office added that Le Drain  will reaffirm France’s readiness to continue its commitment alongside Mali “in this critical phase in order to initiate the reforms that the Malian population has long been calling for, notably the strengthening of governance, the fight against impunity and the revision of the electoral framework, while maintaining the commitment to address the security challenges.”

The French government and  Mali signed in Bamako, five cooperation agreements, for an amount of 140 Million Euros –  These agreements cover connection to the electricity network, access to water, agricultural support, women’s empowerment and the social protection program.

#Mali 🇲🇱 | Signature de 5 conventions @AFD_France, accordant prêts et subventions pour un montant de plus de 140 millions d'euros dans les domaines suivants :
→ Infrastructures et eau
→ Politique sociale
→ Autonomisation des femmes@JY_LeDrian @FranceauMali pic.twitter.com/WAYbcGY0iY

— France Diplomatie🇫🇷 (@francediplo) October 26, 2020

“France is determined to continue, alongside our Sahel partners, the joint fight against terrorism by implementing the strategy set out in Pau. This visit will provide an opportunity to reaffirm our attachment to the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali resulting from the Algiers Process, an issue that will also be discussed with the signatory groups.”

-Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

FRANCE  Continues Anti-Terror Operation Barkhane in MALI Despite Military Coup

Credit: Wikipedia / 35e RAP /   French troops of the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (35e RAP) board a helicopter during a mission.

France will continue its Operation Barkhane anti-insurgent campaign in Mali’s Sahel region despite the military coup. The French-led Operation Barkhane succeeded Operation Serval in August 2014. The force, with approximately 5,300 soldiers, is spread out between Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.  Operation Barkhane is France’s largest overseas operation, with a budget of nearly €600m per year.

“Operation Barkhane, requested by the Malians and authorized by the UN Security Council, continues. French soldiers, in conjunction with European and Sahelian partners, continue to carry out their mission with professionalism, for the benefit of everyone’s security.”

-French Defense Minister Florence Parly