Politics

Mali warns United States against disinformation against it

Published

2 years ago

May 29, 2023

The military government in Mali has asked the United States to desist from disinformation about the country and its defence relations with Russia.

Spokesman of the government, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga said in a statement that the junta “was stunned to learn of the unilateral decision” by the US government to sanction the two Malian officers, “on the sole basis of the United Nations report.”

The call comes after sanctions the US imposed sanctions on two Malian officers, Moustapha Sangare, then commander of a parachute commando regiment, and Major Lassine Togola, commander of a special forces battalion, both accused of taking part in a massacre in the centre of the country in 2022.

He further revealed that the Malian Foreign Affairs on 25 May “invited” US Ambassador, Rachna Korhonen to inform her of “the extreme seriousness of the false accusations made against the Republic of Mali.”

The government “is upset by these actions, which are having a negative impact on bilateral cooperation”, he said. The government “appeals to the government of the United States of America to stop the disinformation campaign against Mali”, he declared.

There have been allegations of rights abuses in the Malian troop’s engagement with terrorist groups in Moura. A UN commission two weeks ago claimed that it “has reasonable grounds to believe” that at least 500 people, including some 20 women and seven children, were “executed by the Malian Armed Forces and foreign military personnel (…) after the area (had) been totally subdued” between March 27 and 31, 2022 in Moura.

The government of Mali has acknowledged the presence of Russian “instructors” in the fight against jihadists, a claim also attributed to Sergei Lavrov, head of Russian diplomacy.

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.