Ivory Coast asks Mali to release 49 soldiers arrested in Bamako
Al JazeeraAPR 2022
The West's moves in resource-rich Mali, and in the entirety of the Sahel, aren't motivated by the fight against jihadist insurgents, the promotion of democracy, or a desire to secure a "rule-based order." Western members of the UN are only concerned with defending their own geostrategic interests — including against Russia. The so-called stabilization mission MINUSMA serves only as a tool for power projection, especially after the end of French neo-colonialism in Mali.
Since France withdrew from MINUSMA, the UN peacekeeping operation has become increasingly vulnerable to terrorist attacks amid efforts from the Malian junta to stifle it. Meanwhile, Bamako has deepened ties with the infamous Russian private military Wagner Group, deteriorating the situation in the country even more — especially with regard to human rights — and potentially creating a much longer-term problem in the Sahel.