“The time has come for all Malians to come together without exception, to reaffirm our positions of principle and defend our homeland”. These words are those ofAssimi Goïta, head of the junta brought to the head of Mali in 2020 by a first coup, and became president of the country after a second coup in May 2021. Despite the pressures, including economic sanctions imposed by the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the condemnation of several countries including France, the Head of State refuses to cede power for at least five years.
Mali to the Malians, it is therefore with this very dangerous fiber thatAssimi Goïta tries to justify his stay in power, by speaking of sanctions “illegitimate, illegal and inhuman character”. But, more pernicious, he also adds that the community of African states has allowed itself to be exploited by the powers extra-regional. One way of targeting France directly, which, as a reminder, is engaged in the Sahel with Operation Barkhane, but also with the Europeans of the task force Takuba.
We can therefore obviously fear that anti-French sentiment will become stronger in Mali. And we will be able to verify it from Friday, January 14, since the junta in power asked the Malians to demonstrate that day against the sanctions imposed. What we can already imagine is that on the signs brandished in the streets of Bamako, France will be singled out, or even made responsible for these sanctions.
This anti-French feeling, which should therefore be exacerbated, is a little music that can be heard especially in Bamako. It has been spreading for months and months, both in a certain layer of the population, among certain decision-makers but also and above all in a part of the political class.
But Assimi Goïta has not completely closed the door, since he also says he is open to dialogue. Even if he We still have to agree on the notion of dialogue, for some time now, we have rather the impression that the Malian president is speaking for himself. Now, as said Paul Valery, “One single man is always in bad company “.
Added to this is the fact that the word of the Malian president is not of extraordinary reliability: a few weeks ago, he swore that there was no agreement with the Russian paramilitaries of the Wagner operation. . However, 300 to 400 of these men would already be deployed in Mali. And a year ago Assimi Goïta promised to return power in 2022 … But again, we can say that he lied. A hypocrisy which will very quickly raise the question of the French presence in Mali, because it will be increasingly difficult to justify that French soldiers die for a country which no longer wishes our presence.