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The already tense relations between Mali and Algeria entered a new phase of coldness yesterday. The Malian transitional government in Bamako issued a blistering statement declaring the 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, brokered in Algiers, «absolutely inapplicable» and announcing its immediate termination.
The Malian government's press release, read on state television by an army colonel, outlined several reasons for its decision. Bamako accused Algeria, the lead mediator in peace process, of «acts of hostility and exploitation» regarding the agreement.
The statement expressed «deep concern» about a perceived increase in «unfriendly acts, cases of hostility, and interference in the internal affairs of Mali by the Algerian authorities».
The Malian government condemned what it called «an erroneous perception of the Algerian authorities who consider Mali as their backyard or a doormat state», highlighting a sense of disrespect and condescension. The press release concluded with a strong demand for Algeria to «immediately cease its hostility» and respect Mali's sovereignty.
Mali wants to break free from Algeria's guardianship
This recent decision by Bamako was not entirely unexpected. Signs of friction between the two nations have been growing for some time. At the recent Non-Aligned Movement summit in Uganda, Mali's State Minister rejected an Algerian amendment seeking to enforce the Algiers agreement signed in 2015. He demanded the «pure and simple withdrawal» of the Mali-related chapter from the summit's final declaration.
However, Algeria's Foreign Ministry denied introducing any such provisions into the summit document, calling the accusations «unfounded allegations».
On December 20, Mali summoned the Algerian ambassador to protest against meetings held in Algeria between its officials and both Malian opposition figures and rebel groups considered hostile to the government. Bamako viewed these meetings as «interference in the internal affairs» of the country.
Just three days after the aforementioned summons, Mali surprisingly announced its support for a Moroccan initiative aimed at improving access to the Atlantic for Sahel countries. This move was seen as a further distancing from Algeria and a potential rapprochement with Morocco.
underlining the shift, Mali appointed a new ambassador to Morocco on January 22.
