NEW TENSION BETWEEN BAMAKO AND ALGIERS: Be careful not to play the terrorists’ game!

Mali and Algeria are exporting their misunderstanding to the UN Security Council. That’s the least we can say considering what happened on August 30 in New York. Indeed, during a meeting on the supply of weapons by Western countries, the ambassadors of the two neighboring countries made a spectacle of themselves by passing weapons. It all started with accusations from Algiers, according to which a drone from Mali killed around twenty civilians in northern Mali. “An accusation as serious as it is unfounded,” replied Bamako, who accuses his neighbor of peddling “lightly unverified information to the press.” Enough once again to throw an icy cold on the relationship between the two neighbours, which is already in a bad state since Bamako killed the Algiers peace agreement signed between Mali and the rebels. And that’s not all. The gap has widened between the two capitals since Algiers agreed to offer room and board to the rebels who were driven out of Kidal at the end of 2023. In addition to this the gold exile given to imam Mahamoud Dicko has been presented as an annoyance to President Assimi Goïta and his brothers in arms that he has constantly pilloried. Having said that, how can we restore trust between Algeria and Mali? Difficult to answer this question because for Bamako, Algiers does not play fair.

If they do not agree, Algiers and Bamako will not be able to cooperate

However, in view of the regional context, it is in the interest of both neighbors to work to join hands at the risk of playing the game of terrorists who do not care about borders. Because, we can never say enough, the fight against terrorism, to be effective, must be carried out by combining efforts, especially by sharing intelligence and joint operations. Needless to say, if they do not laugh at each other, Algiers and Bamako will not be able to cooperate with the intention of dealing a blow to the armed terrorist groups that continue to sow death and desolation in their path. Especially since, at the same time, we also know that the relationship between Mali and some of its neighbors, in this case Ivory Coast and Mauritania, is not in a good state. This means that, at the rate things are going, tomorrow would not be the end of the terrorism of the day before. If full measure of the danger is not taken, both agree to come down from their pedestals with the intention of sincere, sincere and permanent collaboration. Perhaps the African Union (AU) and the United Nations should, if necessary, become more involved in order to resolve the differences of opinion between Mali and its neighbours. This is not too much to ask; as it is in the best interests of the Malian people who have suffered martyrdom for a long time. In any case, when we follow the evolution of the situation very closely, we sometimes want to say that Bamako is pulling the strings a little. However, we cannot also release Algeria which, it must be said, plays chiaroscuro if it does not give the unfortunate impression of wanting to blackmail its neighbour.

Boundi OUOBA