France has suspended its counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and expelled two Malian diplomats, escalating already fraught relations between Paris and Bamako. The move follows Mali’s arrest of a French national in August, accused of plotting to destabilize the country.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the man—reportedly a former French military officer—was working on counterterrorism issues and is believed to be an intelligence agent. He was arrested alongside two Malian generals. Mali’s government accused him of participating in a plot against the state, though France insists the allegations are “unfounded,” saying he was an embassy staff member in Bamako.
The French foreign ministry announced on Friday that two Malian embassy and consulate officials in Paris have been declared persona non grata. In response, Mali declared five French embassy staff members unwelcome.
The rift underscores a dramatic downturn in Franco-Malian ties. Relations soured after Mali’s military-led government severed defense agreements with France in 2022 and sought closer security cooperation with Russia.
For more than a decade, Mali has struggled with Islamist insurgencies in its north, compounded by political instability that has produced two coups since 2020. France, once a key security partner in the Sahel, has seen its influence wane across the region as military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger turn away from Western alliances.
