France announced on Friday that it has suspended all counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and ordered two Malian diplomats to leave the country, further straining already tense relations between the two nations.
According to the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the two Malian officials — attached to the embassy and consulate in Paris — were declared persona non grata and instructed to depart immediately. The move comes after Mali declared five French embassy staff members unwelcome earlier this month.
Arrest of French National Sparks Row
The diplomatic fallout follows the arrest in August of French national Yann Vezilier in Bamako. Malian authorities accused him of working with local actors and foreign governments to plot a coup against the military-led administration of President Assimi Goïta.
Mali’s Security Minister, General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, alleged Vezilier was “acting on behalf of the French intelligence service” and coordinating with political leaders, civil society figures, and soldiers. Paris has rejected the accusations as baseless, insisting Vezilier was part of its diplomatic mission in Bamako.
French officials say the expulsion of Malian diplomats is a reciprocal measure, warning that “other steps” could follow if Vezilier is not released soon.
Shift Away From France
Relations between Paris and Bamako have sharply deteriorated since Mali’s 2021 military takeover, with the government expelling French troops and deepening ties with Russia.
The Sahel nation, long beset by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), continues to face severe security challenges. Since June, President Goïta has extended his mandate for an additional five years and dissolved political parties, moves critics say entrench military rule.
Once a cornerstone of French engagement in West Africa, Mali is now emblematic of France’s shrinking influence in the region amid growing competition from Moscow.