Posted
Article written by
/2021/12/14/61b8b98e077d1_france-2.png)
The tension between France and Mali went up another notch on Monday 31 January. The ruling junta has announced that it is expelling the French ambassador: he has 72 hours to leave the country. Journalist Anne-Claire Poignard, live in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Paris, takes stock of the situation.
“Very clearly, the tone is hardening between Paris and Mali“, says journalist Anne-Claire Poignard, live in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the 20 Hours of France 2. The expulsion of the French ambassador, demanded on Monday January 31 by the military junta in power, is a “snub“for the French authorities, according to her. The soldiers who seized power in a coup a year and a half ago are “hostile to the French presence in Mali and, above all, they did not appreciate the recent declarations of Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs“, continues the journalist. The latter qualified the Malian junta “illegitimate“.
In the evening, she concludes, “France said it took note of the expulsion of its ambassador. Officially, no question for the moment for the French army to leave the field, but the Malian file will be at the heart of the discussions of the defense councilscheduled for Tuesday, February 1.