Press release on Wagner in Mali: first reaction from the transition authorities
A mercenary of the Wagner militia in the Central African Republic (illustrative image).
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Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
First reaction from the Malian transition authorities to the press release from Mali's 15 western partner countries on Wagner's presence in the country.
This Friday, December 24 in Bamako, a higher national defense council was held around the president of the transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta.
The security situation as well as the evolution of the measures to be taken, in particular in the face of the reorganization of the Barkhane system, were mentioned.
On the sidelines of this meeting, the authorities in a statement read on national television strongly denied the "
allegations of some partners
" on the presence of the Russian company Wagner.
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With our correspondent in Bamako
,
Kaourou Magassa
It is a little after 8 p.m. this Friday in Mali when a journalist joins the presenter of the national television newspaper.
Facing the camera, he read a press release from the authorities responding to the condemnations of the previous day from fifteen Western countries including France, Great Britain, Germany and Canada on the deployment of mercenaries from the Russian company Wagner.
►
To read Mali: international partners strongly condemn the deployment of the Wagner group
In the text, the government rejects these accusations which it describes as rumors and in the face of "
these allegations
", it "
demands that evidence be brought to it by independent sources
".
To strengthen the “
capacities
” of the defense forces, the Malian state only recognizes being engaged “
in a state-to-state partnership with the Russian Federation
”.
As such, the government recognizes the presence of Russian trainers on its territory.
In addition to those of the EUTM, the training mission of the European Union.
For weeks, France, the European Union, the Community of West African States and the United States have been worried about a possible rapprochement of the Malian authorities with the private security company Wagner.
Accused of abuses in several countries including the Central African Republic, a deployment of mercenaries in Mali is deemed by several partners to be incompatible with their presence in the country.
►Also listen to: Wagner: "There is a very real desire on the part of the Malian ruling elites to change alliances"
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Mali
Assimi Goïta
Russia
Defense