China is helping us to defeat terrorism, says Mali’s Foreign Minister: GSW Exclusive
Chinese military equipment is helping Malian forces win the war against terrorists, foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop told Global South World.
For more than a decade, the country has been embroiled in a bloody conflict against groups affiliated with al Qaeda and ISIS. Diop said they had now reopened access to the entire country as a result of increasing military spending to a quarter of the government budget.
After throwing out French troops and the end of a United Nations operation in the country, Mali has looked to new allies to support it.
“I think the military success that we have on the ground has been possible. Also, thanks. The partnership we have with China, which also allows us to access key military equipments to be able to conduct this fight,” Diop said.
Diop also said he welcomed the Chinese investment that he hoped would increase as security continued to improve.
Some analysts have questioned Mali’s claims to be gaining the upper hand in the conflict as attacks on troops and civilians continue.
Update: Four months after the interview a United Nations report stated that terrorist activity was rising across the region.“Terrorist activity has surged in scale, complexity and sophistication,” UN special representative Leonardo Santos Simão told the Security Council, according to the Associated Press. He pointed to the use of drones and increasing collusion with organized criminals working across borders.The report went on to call for more support for the authorities in their fight, particularly to protect vulnerable women and children.
Watch the full interview here:
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
