The French Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of its development aid to Mali three months after the end of its forces from the country, against the background of allegations of the use of Bamako with fighters from the Russian Wagner Group.
A source in the ministry said, “Given the behavior and alliance of the military council with the Russian mercenaries, we have suspended our general development assistance to Mali,” a source in the ministry said.
However, the source indicated that France will keep its humanitarian aid and financing “civil society organizations”.
Relations between France and its former colonizer have been strained since the military coup two years ago, with the new military council led by Asimi Geta away from Paris in favor of deepening his relations with Russia – despite his government denied contracting with Wagner.
France has responded this year by withdrawing its forces from the Barkhan operation designated to support five countries in the Sahel region against the terrorists, and has since announced a strategy review of its military presence in West Africa.
The French Development Finance Agency provided a grant to Mali of about 310 billion African francs (488 million dollars) between January and September 2017, according to the figures published on the website of the Malian embassy in France.
Relief societies and NGOs have warned that reducing financing may have devastating effects on efforts to alleviate poverty for millions of people.
Several associations, including “World Doctors” and “Handicab International”, also alerted French President Emmanuel Macron that 7. 5 million financial citizens need help, that is, “more than 35 percent of the country’s population. “.
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