Mali: Junta bans activities of French-funded NGOs

Tensions This prohibition also applies to humanitarian associations

Abdoulaye Maiga, Acting Prime Minister of Mali. — AFP

The Malian junta has announced Monday evening prohibit the activities of all non-governmental organizations financed or supported by France, including those operating in the humanitarian field.

The interim Prime Minister, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, justifies this decision, in a press release. diffused on social networks, by France’s recent announcement that it had suspended its official development assistance to France’ destination Mali.

The Wagner group at the heart of tensions

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs had invoked as a reason the recourse to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner on the part of the Malian authorities. The junta that came to power by force in August 2020 has consistently denied have appealed to; this company to the actions decried in several countries and speaks of Russian army instructors deployed in the name of a former collaboration between the two countries.

Colonel Maï ga denounces in its statement; “fanciful allegations” and a “subterfuge intended to deceive and manipulate national and international public opinion for the purpose of destabilizing and isolating Mali” “Consequently, the transitional government decides to prohibit, with immediate effect, all activities carried out by NGOs operating in Mali on funding or with the support material or technical from France, including in the humanitarian field,” he said.