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Germany’s increased financial support to ECOWAS aims to stabilize West Africa

Germany’s announcement last month that it would provide greater support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in its efforts to secure peace in the region and prevent future crises, suggests that European leaders see the organization as crucial to the future stability of West Africa. The agreement to provide greater financial support […]

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Mali rejects delay in UN troops’ departure, Malian and Russian forces relocate to northern region

While the United Nations voiced concern on Saturday (14 October) over an escalation of fighting in northern Mali, the Malian foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop said that the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from the region would happen on time by 31 December. The UN expressed its concern at the weekend that its drawdown could be hampered […]

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Mali adamant on seeing UN peacekeeping leaving by December 31st

Mali has refused to extend the timeline for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to withdraw from the country beyond the deadline of December 31st, as previously agree despite confrontations between the Army and rebels and terrorist groups in the north. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution end of June […]

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France begins pulling out its troops from Niger after junta’s order

France has begun pulling out its troops from Niger after being ordered out of the West African nation by the military junta that ousted the pro-Paris president in a July coup, the military said Tuesday (10 October). “The first troops have left,” the spokesman of the French chief of staff said, confirming an earlier announcement […]

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Mali cancels Air France’s clearance to resume flights

Malian authorities have nullified authorization given to Air France to resume flights to the West African country after the airline suspended its services in August 2023. The decision came a day after Air France announced plans to resume flights to Mali from Friday October 13. The airline suspended on August 7 its flights to Mali, […]

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Putin holds phone talk with Mali’s Assimi Goita

Russian President Vladimir Putin held Tuesday October 10 a telephone conversation with Mali’s interim President for the transitional period Assimi Goita, with talks focusing on the strengthening of economic ties and security cooperation. “At the initiative of the Malian side, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the President of the transitional period […]

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Mali: army, northern rebels move closer to decisive confrontation in Kidal region

The Malian army is deploying towards a northern separatist rebel stronghold in the Kidal region in a high-risk operation which could foreshadow a major confrontation and become a turning point after a decade of conflict. A large convoy of the Malian army left Gao on Monday (2 October) and was reportedly headed to the localities […]

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Mali, Niger in meltdown, as both states wage multiple battles against Al-Qaeda

The Niger government has declared three days of national mourning after at least 29 soldiers were killed by suspected terrorists near the country’s border with Mali, whose army is also waging battles against Islamist militants on multiple fronts after the UN peacekeeping mission withdraws. The “three borders” area between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso is […]

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Malian transition leaders postponed sine die next year presidential elections

Mali’s Government in power since May 2021 following a second coup announced Monday September 25 the delay sine die the scheduled February 2024 presidential elections, citing a number of reasons including issues related to the review of the electoral lists. Government spokesman Col. Abdoulaye Maiga announced the move noting that the elections “will be slightly […]