The Malian government, accused of wanting to recruit "
mercenaries
" following information on discussions with the Russian private security company Wagner, said on Sunday that it was up to it "to
decide which partners it can solicit or not
".
Read also Mali: the junta negotiates with Russian mercenaries
"
With regard to the willingness shown to the Malian authorities to hire
'
mercenaries
'", the transitional government led by the military invokes the exercise of its "
sovereignty
" and "
the concern to preserve its territorial integrity
", in a press release published on Sunday by his Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Without citing any country or the Wagner company, he affirms that he "will
not allow any state to make choices for it, and even less to decide which partners it can call on or not
".
France and Germany have warned that a deployment of the Russian group's paramilitaries would call into question their military engagement in Mali.
And the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, 15 countries) on Thursday condemned "
the willingness of the transitional authorities to hire private security companies in Mali
", without citing a name, s' alarming the "
definite consequences for the deterioration of the security situation
" in the country and the region.
To read alsoThe unpublished confidences of a soldier of "Wagner", the phantom army of the wars of Putin
The Malian government denounces in its
press
release "
rumors and sponsored press articles as part of a campaign to denigrate our country and its leaders
".
The international community, including France and ECOWAS, are openly worried about the respect by the putschists who overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on August 18, 2020, with the timetable for the transition, in particular the holding of elections in February.
The Malian government has so far not expressed itself directly in an official manner on the existence of contacts with Wagner, but Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga alluded to it on Thursday during a meeting with the association "
Forum de Bamako
”.
"
There are partners who have decided to leave Mali to fall back on other countries, there are areas that are abandoned,
" he said, referring to the ongoing redeployment of French forces in the Sahel which will leave part of their positions in northern Mali.
"
Shouldn't we have plans B?"
», Continued Mr. Maïga.
"
It is this reflection which leads to debates today where we are accused of wanting to change strategy,
" he said.
According to a French source familiar with the matter, the Malian government is studying the possibility of a contract with Wagner on the deployment of a thousand Russian paramilitaries, to train the armed forces and ensure the protection of the leaders.
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