Mali to continue military cooperation with Russia: Malian PM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
28 Feb 2023 10:14
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Maiga reveals that Mali expects to present to the UN Security Council evidence of France's support for armed groups.

Malian transitional Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga (Reuters)

Malian transitional Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, pointed out that the supply of Russian military equipment to Mali made it possible to reverse the situation with terrorism in the country, and now the militants are afraid.

"For the Malians, it is not the quantity that matters, but the result. Today we can confirm that fear has moved to the other camp. Terrorists no longer cause fear in Malians. On the contrary, the Malian army causes fear among terrorists, this is important. Cooperation [with Russia in the military sphere] will continue," Maiga told Sputnik in an interview.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Russia sent a large batch of aircraft to Mali on January 19, adding that military cooperation this year witnessed a new development.

The Malian Prime Minister further affirmed that Mali will continue military cooperation with Russia, indicating that the country is satisfied with Russian military equipment.

"At the moment we are completely satisfied, and, as I said, this cooperation will continue," Maiga said.

Mali to present to UNSC evidence of France backing armed groups

In a related context, Maiga revealed that Mali expects to present to the UN Security Council evidence of France's support for armed groups.

"The day we reveal the evidence, we will see who is muddying the waters. All those who do not want us to provide evidence understand that the accusations against us have no basis," Maiga underlined.

According to the Malian Prime Minister, Mali will keep this evidence to itself for as long as it deems it necessary.

It is noteworthy that in mid-October, during a speech delivered at a United Nations Security Council briefing on Mali in New York, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop accused France of violating Malian airspace and delivering weapons to militants that have been crippling the country for the past decade, which France denied.