West African state, Mali, might be walking towards being a pariah state as defence allies across the world have continued to withdraw troops from the country which currently battles terrorists.
Germany is the latest to announce its intentions to pull its military from Mali.
The European country said its army will quit Malian soil in the middle of next year after a decade-long mission, with the withdrawal to be completed by May 2024.
According to a government spokesperson, on Tuesday, Steffen Hebestreit. The government decided to extend by one year the mandate for the mission by May 2023 for the last time to ensure a structured exit.
“In particular, the elections in Mali scheduled for February 2024 will be taken into account,” said Hebestreit.
“It will be a very orderly withdrawal from Mali – without losing sight of the transition process in Mali,” Lambrecht said. “As there are elections scheduled in Feb 2024, we will stay over these elections, but we will start the withdrawal in summer next year.”
One of Mali’s neighbours, Ivory Coast has also hinted that it will gradually withdraw its troops and police from a U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali.
Mali under Colonel Goita has been at diplomatic loggerheads with France. It started by breaking defense alliance with the French, the junta also quit the anti-jihadist force, the G-5 force but has enjoyed a good relationship with Russia.
Some observers have argued that Mali’s recent romance with Russia and China largely accounts for the reason it has fallen out with Western countries like the US, France, and more recently Germany.