This announcement comes the day after that of the United Kingdom, which indicated that it wanted to withdraw “earlier than expected” its contingent.
Le Monde with AFP
Côte d’Ivoire will gradually withdraw its troops deployed in Mali within MINUSMA, the UN peace mission, by August 2023, according to a letter from the Ivorian authorities addressed to the Nations United and consulted Tuesday, November 15 by AFP.
“In order of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, the permanent mission confirms the gradual withdrawal of Ivorian military and police staff deployed within MINUSMA”, explains this letter from the permanent mission of Côte d’Ivoire to The UN. “The succession of the Protective Company based in Mopti, as well as the deployment of staff officers and police officers planned respectively in October and November 2022, will no longer be carried out,” continues the text.
The Ivorian army did not confirm to AFP on Tuesday, if these recovery had indeed already interrupted. Côte d’Ivoire also indicates that the soldiers and other elements present within the MINUSMA will not be noted in August 2023.
No official reason is given for this withdrawal, but relations between Côte d’Ivoire and Mali have set themselves considerably in recent months, in particular after the arrest in July of 49 Ivorian soldiers in Bamako. After three releases, 46 of them are still detained in Mali, who accuses them of being mercenaries while Abidjan assures that they had to participate in the security of the German Helpes contingent in Mali.
This announcement comes after that of the United Kingdom, who said he wanted to withdraw “earlier than expected” his contingent. London notably mentioned the merger of the junta in power in Bamako since 2020 with the paramilitary group Wagner, reputed to be close to the Moscow regime.