Africa press review

In the spotlight: the Malian junta decides to break the defense agreements with France and its European partners

Audio 04:11

The Malian interim president, Colonel Assimi Goïta, during a review of the armed forces, June 7, 2021 in Bamako.

AFP - ANNIE RISEMBERG

By: Fanny Bleichner

4 mins

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The announcement was made in the evening by the government spokesman, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga in a press release read on television. 

Maliweb

details this speech: “ 

The deterioration of relations between the two countries is described as “profound” by Bamako 

”.

Among the "

 incidents relating to military cooperation

 " with Paris, are mentioned "

 the

"unilateral" decision

 of the French authorities to suspend joint operations with the Malian military

 " but also "

multiple violations of Malian airspace operated by aircraft French military

" in recent months and the fact that "

the Malian authorities are unable to obtain the revision of the [Paris] agreements despite multiple reminders 

”.

Bamako therefore speaks

 of “flagrant attacks on its sovereignty

 ”.

 The Rubicon has finally been crossed

for the

Burkinabè

daily 

Today in Faso, 

which considers that

the ice that separates Mali and France has just thickened again with this big military-diplomatic paving stone that Mali has just thrown into the Seine 

”.

Netafrique

 for its part wonders about “ 

repercussions on the current withdrawal of Barkhane (…).

The question then arises that this withdrawal (…) is supposed to be spread over four to six months. 

»

Today in Faso

goes even further with this concern raised at the end of the article: “ 

Does Wagner now have a clear field for security in Mali?

Will official Russia rehash decades-old reports?

 »

The Malian military junta asserts itself even more and this while Antonio Guterres calls for a return of power to civilians

The Secretary General of the United Nations is on tour in West Africa and the

Sahel Intelligence

site returns to his speech on Sunday.

He wants “

 the military juntas in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali to disappear as quickly as possible 

”;

while expressing its attachment “ 

to robust African peace and counter-terrorism operations implemented by the African Union and supported by the United Nations,

 on the model of several ongoing operations in Africa, in Mali in particular.

»

This statement by the UN chief was made from Dakar this weekend, but he has since left Senegal.

On Monday, he was in Niger, in Niamey, where he met President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tamtam info

details the words of the Head of State.

He mentioned the problem of terrorism as well as "

 the effects of climate change, in particular recurrent droughts

 " which have resulted in " 

a 'very strong' food deficit

 ".

On the

Le Sahel

website , we can read Antonio Guterres' response: "

 We see that there is a government and institutions that have a clear vision of what needs to be done to meet the country's security needs and launch the foundations of sustainable and inclusive development.

»

Freedom to inform on the African continent

Today is World Press Freedom Day.

The opportunity for

Mediacongo

 to quote the figures of the NGO Journaliste en danger, according to which " 

at least 75 cases of attacks on freedom of the press have been documented in the DRC 

".

The site recalls that three months after the states general of the press in the country " 

none of its 80 resolutions has experienced the beginning of execution 

" " 

Journalists and the Congolese media remain exposed to various pressures and censorship, to arbitrary arrests and direct and indirect threats, particularly in the eastern provinces of the country under siege, namely North Kivu and Ituri.

 »

More generally, the Burkinabè site 

Le Pays

paints a rather gloomy picture of press freedom on the continent and considers that

the

"

 khaki regimes show great reluctance whenever objective criticism thwarts their dark designs manipulation of the people 

"

, referring in particular to the situation in Mali.

A clearing, however, thanks to

Voice of Africa

 which is interested in the press situation in Namibia, described as a

"

 haven of peace for journalists 

"

.

It is moreover in the Namibian capital that the UN conceived this world day of freedom of the press in 1991. Today, however, "

 voices are raised to say that we also need a law on the “right to information” guaranteeing all citizens access to public information 

”.

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