Mali has released three female soldiers among the 49 soldiers who landed in Bamako last July and have since been arrested on charges of mercenaries by the Bamako authorities.
The announcement was made on Saturday during a press briefing held jointly in Lomé by the Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey, his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop, and the minister director of cabinet to the Ivorian presidency, Fidèle Sarassoro.
“I would like to announce to you that the president of the transition (…) of Mali, Assimi Goïta, has agreed (…) to proceed with the release of certain prisoners”, in particular “three female soldiers”, declared Robert Dussey , whose country is mediating between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire in this dispute over Ivorian soldiers detained in Bamako.
As a reminder, these soldiers had arrived in Bamako without “mission order or authorization”, according to the Malian authorities who had qualified them as “mercenaries” after investigation and accused of having the “disastrous purpose” of “breaking the dynamics of the refoundation and the securing of Mali, as well as the return to constitutional order”.
For its part, Abidjan had always maintained that its soldiers were on a mission as part of logistical support operations for the UN Mission in Mali (Minusma), and demanded their release, before the language changed this Saturday.
Fidèle Sarassoro has, indeed, indicated that “the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire regrets that shortcomings and misunderstandings were at the origin of this highly regrettable event”.
“Côte d’Ivoire, anxious to maintain good neighborly relations with Mali, undertakes to respect the procedures of the United Nations, as well as the new Malian rules and provisions enacted relating to the deployment of military forces in Mali”, a- he continued.
And to add, finally, “in order to iron out the existing differences and thus contribute to the preservation of peace and stability in the sub-region, the RCI undertakes to pursue in a transparent and constructive manner with Mali, exchanges and discussions on all subjects of common interest”.
According to Dussey, “discussions are underway so that, very quickly, the other soldiers in detention can regain their total freedom”.
By OMA Newsletter N° 843 of 05/09/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
