Russian influence in Mali worries France

Relations between Mali's ruling military junta and France, the country leading international aid in the fight against Sahelian jihadism, have become more complicated since the presence of Russian mercenaries and intense interference in internal politics by Moscow's diplomacy began to be detected in Bamako, the Malian capital.

The junta, which came to power in 2020 and reaffirmed it with a self-coup in 2021, has been in tension for several months with France and the 5,000 French soldiers who for several years have kept the Malian state, considered the weakest in Africa, on its feet. France, a former colonial power, leads Afro-European peacekeeping forces, including two Spanish units.

But, according to expert perceptions, since Russian agents began to meddle, sensitivities towards foreigners and diplomatic incidents have been on the rise. Official criticism of its allies, without solid arguments, has become constant. A few days ago, the junta ordered the expulsion of the Danish delegation on the grounds of verbal grievances from Copenhagen.

And at the weekend, the French ambassador, Joël Meyer, was ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. Meyer, 60, had been in office since 2018. In Paris, the Quai d'Orsay, which the day before had asked the junta for explanations for the expulsion of the Danes, announced that it was withdrawing the ambassador, but would keep troops in the area: they are there to prevent the spread of Islamic jihad in the Sahel, not just in Mali.