Sweden’s ambassador to Bamako, Kristina Kuhnel, has been ordered to depart the West African Sahel nation inside 72 hours, Mali’s overseas ministry mentioned on Friday (9 August), due to what it known as a “hostile” assertion by a Swedish minister.
The diplomatic spat underscores the broader geopolitical shift occurring within the area as three junta-led states – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – pivot away from conventional Western allies in the direction of Russia.
Sweden’s minister for worldwide growth cooperation and commerce, Johan Forssell, mentioned on Wednesday that the federal government had determined to part out assist to Mali as a result of its ties to Moscow.
“You can not assist Russia’s unlawful struggle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine and on the similar time obtain a number of hundred million crowns annually in growth assist,” Forssell mentioned, commenting on a submit on X which mentioned Mali was slicing ties with Ukraine.
Dominated by a navy junta since 2020, Mali has been battling ethnic Tuareg rebels in its north alongside Russian Wagner mercenaries after it lower navy cooperation ties with Western powers together with European Union international locations.
Since then, relations between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and Western powers have deteriorated because the three flip to Russia for assist.
Sweden had determined in June to shut its embassy in Mali’s capital Bamako by the tip of the yr, in line with a press release on the overseas ministry’s web site.
Forsell’s spokesperson mentioned on Friday the choice to halt and out part growth assist was taken in December and that humanitarian help would proceed.
The Swedish overseas ministry had no rapid remark.
Final week, Mali lower diplomatic ties with Ukraine over a diplomat’s feedback suggesting that Kyiv had supplied assist to Tuareg rebels who claimed to have killed a minimum of 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian troopers.
Ukraine’s overseas ministry later mentioned there was no proof Kyiv had performed any function in preventing and known as Mali’s choice short-sighted and hasty.
Learn extra with Euractiv
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska got here beneath assault from supporters of the struggle in Ukraine on Friday (9 August) after making a uncommon anti-war assertion through which he described the battle as “mad” and known as for a ceasefire with out pre-conditions.
Swedish ambassador expelled from Mali over ‘hostile’ remark – Euractiv
Sweden’s ambassador to Bamako, Kristina Kuhnel, has been ordered to depart the West African Sahel nation inside 72 hours, Mali’s overseas ministry mentioned on Friday (9 August), due to what it known as a “hostile” assertion by a Swedish minister.
The diplomatic spat underscores the broader geopolitical shift occurring within the area as three junta-led states – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – pivot away from conventional Western allies in the direction of Russia.
Sweden’s minister for worldwide growth cooperation and commerce, Johan Forssell, mentioned on Wednesday that the federal government had determined to part out assist to Mali as a result of its ties to Moscow.
“You can not assist Russia’s unlawful struggle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine and on the similar time obtain a number of hundred million crowns annually in growth assist,” Forssell mentioned, commenting on a submit on X which mentioned Mali was slicing ties with Ukraine.
Dominated by a navy junta since 2020, Mali has been battling ethnic Tuareg rebels in its north alongside Russian Wagner mercenaries after it lower navy cooperation ties with Western powers together with European Union international locations.
Since then, relations between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and Western powers have deteriorated because the three flip to Russia for assist.
Sweden had determined in June to shut its embassy in Mali’s capital Bamako by the tip of the yr, in line with a press release on the overseas ministry’s web site.
Forsell’s spokesperson mentioned on Friday the choice to halt and out part growth assist was taken in December and that humanitarian help would proceed.
The Swedish overseas ministry had no rapid remark.
Final week, Mali lower diplomatic ties with Ukraine over a diplomat’s feedback suggesting that Kyiv had supplied assist to Tuareg rebels who claimed to have killed a minimum of 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian troopers.
Ukraine’s overseas ministry later mentioned there was no proof Kyiv had performed any function in preventing and known as Mali’s choice short-sighted and hasty.
Learn extra with Euractiv
Russian oligarch beneath fireplace for uncommon anti-war feedback
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska got here beneath assault from supporters of the struggle in Ukraine on Friday (9 August) after making a uncommon anti-war assertion through which he described the battle as “mad” and known as for a ceasefire with out pre-conditions.