Pack Your Bags & Leave; Mali Expelled the Swedish Ambassador. Details.

Pack Your Bags & Leave; Mali Expelled the Swedish Ambassador. Details.

by Yeyetunde at August 12, 2024

In an unexpected development, Mali has opted to expel the Swedish ambassador, citing a “hostile” remark from a Swedish minister.

The diplomatic rift emerged after comments from Johan Forssell, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation and trade, who declared the intention to reduce aid to Mali.

Tensions heightened when Forssell connected this decision to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, asserting, “You cannot support Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and at the same time receive several hundred million crowns each year in development aid.”

This prompted Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the Swedish ambassador and demand their departure within 72 hours.

The expulsion underscores a significant geopolitical shift in the Sahel region, particularly among military-led nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which appear to be distancing themselves from traditional Western allies and gravitating towards Russia.

Sweden’s decision to cease and phase out development aid to Mali was reportedly made in December of the previous year, with an emphasis on maintaining humanitarian assistance.

This move further illustrates the evolving landscape of international relations in the area.

Previously, Sweden had announced plans to close its embassy in Bamako by the end of 2024 due to the worsening security situation in Mali, while reaffirming its commitment to support the region from its embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

Mali continues to face ongoing unrest fueled by various armed groups, resulting in large areas of the country becoming ungovernable.

The military-led government, which took power after a coup in 2020, has focused on regaining control from separatist movements and extremist factions linked to al-Qaeda and that of ISIS.

This content has been sourced from Mali News Agency. 

In Bamako, the capital of Mali. 

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