Speaking from Nairobi, where he was attending regional discussions, Emmanuel Macron underscored the consequences of Bamako’s latest policy shift. According to the French leader, recent developments in Mali clearly demonstrate that the junta’s decision to oust French forces in 2022 has weakened the country’s ability to counter the jihadist insurgency.
Unprecedented jihadist offensive threatens Mali’s stability
Since late April, Mali has been reeling from a massive coordinated offensive by jihadist factions and predominantly Tuareg rebel groups. This surge has intensified pressure on the ruling junta, which seized power in the wake of the 2020 and 2021 coups. Despite ongoing military operations, several regions remain mired in escalating insecurity, with Bamako increasingly vulnerable.
France-Mali relations strained as regional tensions rise
The expulsion of French troops from Mali marked a turning point in bilateral ties and set off a chain reaction across the Sahel. Similar political upheavals in Burkina Faso and Niger prompted the withdrawal of French soldiers from those nations as well. Over the past few years, the presence of French military forces in the Sahel has become a lightning rod for political and popular discontent throughout the region.
