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At the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville, Mali did not shy away from indirectly accusing Algeria. Speaking from the podium, Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga made a pointed statement: «For over a decade, the Sahel countries have been grappling with imposed terrorism, with the proven involvement of foreign state sponsors», he declared, in a barely veiled reference to his country’s northern neighbor.
In response to ongoing security threats, Mali reaffirmed its commitment to turning the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—created in September 2023 by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—into a true regional power bloc. The goal, according to Maïga, is to «improve living conditions» in member countries and put an end to what they see as Algerian interference in their internal affairs.
In April, the three AES countries recalled their ambassadors from Algiers in solidarity with Mali, after the Malian government accused the Algerian army of violating its territory.
King Mohammed VI Meets with AES Ministers
Maïga’s accusations came as the Malian army reported coordinated attacks in the early hours of July 1 targeting positions of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) in Niono, Modolo, Sandaré, Nioro du Sahel, Diboli, Gogui, and Kayes. In Algeria, some local media have claimed that «the Assimi Goïta junta is backed into a corner» by these escalating terrorist threats.
Since Mali’s withdrawal from the 2015 Algiers Agreement, Algeria has rallied opposition groups in the Azawad region under a new banner: the Azawad Liberation Front, officially announced on November 30, 2024. Ironically, during the original Algiers negotiations, Algeria had opposed the autonomy and separatist demands of the Tuareg Amazigh in Azawad.
Morocco, meanwhile, is closely monitoring the deteriorating security situation in the region. On April 28, King Mohammed VI received the foreign ministers of the AES countries in Rabat, underscoring Morocco’s interest and support. The Kingdom has signed military cooperation agreements with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, and AES army units are currently receiving training in Moroccan military schools and academies.
Beyond the Sahel, neighboring Mauritania and Senegal are also at risk. «These armed groups are advancing toward Mali’s western border, near Mauritania and Senegal, an area long considered shielded from foreign interference, but now emerging as a hotspot for terrorist expansion», warned a Nouakchott-based outlet on July 2.
