Mali Accuses Algeria of Harboring Terrorists in Fiery UN Address
Mali's government spokesman, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, delivered a scathing rebuke to Algeria at the 79th Ordinary Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The address marks a significant escalation in the already tense relationship between the two African nations.
Maiga accused Algeria of providing support to separatist insurgents and terrorist groups in northern Mali. He claimed that Algeria was interfering in Mali's internal affairs, particularly in response to recent criticism from Algerian diplomats regarding Mali's drone strikes near the border town of Tinzaouatene.
The Malian official dismissed Algeria's concerns, stating, "We are witnessing serious interference in Mali's internal affairs." He declared the Algiers Agreement, which had previously governed relations between the two countries, "well and truly dead" as of January 25, 2024.
In a particularly pointed remark, Maiga accused Algeria of "offering board and lodging, certainly with succulent dishes of tchaktchouka and chorba to terrorists and renegades in disarray." He further criticized Algerian diplomats, referring to them as "diplomatic oddballs" who were taking "history backwards."
The confrontation at the UN comes in the wake of Mali's formal withdrawal from the Algiers Peace Agreement earlier this year. This move has been seen as a significant blow to Algeria's regional influence, as Mali increasingly aligns itself with Russia, China, and other non-Western powers.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has expressed concerns about Mali's military partnership with Russian Wagner mercenaries, suggesting that the resources could be better spent on developing the Sahel region.
As tensions between Mali and Algeria continue to rise, Morocco has stepped up its diplomatic efforts in the region. Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita recently hosted a working lunch with several Sahelian leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, focusing on Morocco's initiative to promote access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel states.
This diplomatic row underscores the complex and shifting alliances in the region, with implications for security, economic development, and geopolitical influence in North and West Africa.