Top US diplomat warns Russian company not to interfere in Mali situation

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday warned a seedy Russian company with ties to the Kremlin not to interfere in efforts to restore democracy in Mali, West Africa.

As he completed a week-long three-nation tour of Africa marked by crises across the continent, Blinken said it would be unfortunate if the Wagner group took action in Mali, where there were internationally supported plans for a democratically elected government in Mali there until April.

Mali remains a fulcrum for future stability in the Sahel, and we have deep concerns about that stability and deep concerns about the extremism and terrorism that tentacles are spreading in the region, Blinken said at the press conference with Senegal’s Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall .

The Sahel region in West Africa is the vast area south of the Sahara where extremist groups are fighting for control.

It would be particularly unfortunate if outside actors made things even more difficult and complicated, he said.

Blinken said he was speaking in particular of the Wagner group, which has deployed mercenaries in Syria, the Central African Republic and Libya and is attracting protests from the West and others.

Western governments and UN experts accuse the Wagner group, the owner of a confidante of Russian President Vladimir Putin, of human rights violations in the Central African Republic and involvement in the conflict in Libya.

France and Germany have objected to the presence of Wagner mercenaries in Mali, and the European Union announced last month that it would consider sanctions against anyone interfering in Mali’s democratic transition.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the company had a legitimate right to be in Mali because it was invited by the transitional government and insisted that the Russian government was not involved.

Blinken, who also pushed for an end to the crises in Ethiopia and Sudan in Africa, said the United States was ready to restore aid to Mali that was suspended after a military coup.

Ultimately, it’s about the people of Mali and their striving for peace, their striving for development and respect for human rights, ”he said.

We look forward to taking the next steps to resume full support once the democratically elected government takes office.

Mali has been fighting since 2012 to contain an Islamic extremist uprising. Extremist rebels were driven from power in the northern cities of Mali with the help of a French-led military operation, but they regrouped in the desert and began launching attacks on the Malian army and its allies.

In June, Colonel Assimi Goita was sworn in as president of a transitional government after his second coup in nine months. Mali is facing increasing international isolation due to the junta’s seizure of power. The elections are due to take place in February, but the EU fears they will be delayed.

In Dakar, Blinken pushed infrastructure projects built in America, including an initiative to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines in Senegal, a first for Africa.

He also promoted sustainable development, the empowerment of women, and other human rights initiatives to empower wavering democracies.

At meetings with business leaders from US-based multinationals, Blinken praised the benefits of empowering women in the economy and buying Americans. In a blow to China, with which the US is competing for lucrative business, he found that America invests without burdening the country with debt that it cannot handle.

The effects will be felt within Senegal, improving infrastructure, creating jobs and strengthening public safety and climate resistance, he said as he witnessed the signing of four road, traffic management and other agreements between Senegal and US companies worth of about $ 1 billion.

The investment shows our common values ​​of democracy, transparency and the rule of law as well as innovation.

In less than two weeks, Senegal will host a major Sino-African trade and investment forum, underscoring Beijing’s interest in increasing its influence on the continent. US-China competition in Africa was a main theme of Blinken’s journey, though he tried to downplay it.

Our goal is not to give our partners a choice, but to give them choices, he said. “And when people have a choice, they usually make the right one.

Foreign Minister Tall Sall, who will play an important role in the forum, thanked Blinken for his comments.

We have a diplomacy of sovereignty from which we do not exclude anyone, “she said.

There isn’t just one choice. We have many options.

As in France and other French-speaking countries, Blinken spoke extensively in French during his public appearances, including with Senegalese President Macky Sall and at an event at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar hoping to start making COVID-19 vaccines with Americans to be able to help next year.

In its meetings, Blinken addressed security issues, in particular an increase in jihadist violence in the Sahel and rising authoritarianism, which many believe is fueling extremism.

Senegal is a key partner in the fight against extremism and last year hosted the US military’s annual counterterrorism exercise, Flintlock.

One area where Sall may seek US assistance is tightening security measures along the country’s borders with Mali and Mauritania, where several counter-terrorism operations have taken place in recent years.

(Only the headline and image of this report may have been revised by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

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