Bamako summons French ambassador to protest Macron’s comments on Malik

Bamako – AFP
Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had summoned the French ambassador to Bamako on Tuesday to protest “regrettable” statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron about the ruling military junta in Mali and “for the return of the kingdom”. His hope” “For the African nation.
In a statement, the ministry said the foreign minister “calls on the French authorities to exercise restraint and refrain from making assessment decisions.”
The statement reaffirmed Bamako’s disapproval of Macron’s “vulgar and derogatory statements” and expressed “strong protest against these regrettable statements”.
On Tuesday, Macron called for a “state return” to Mali, a reference to high tensions with the coastal kingdom, as France works to reduce its military presence.
“The state should return with its judiciary, education and police everywhere, especially in Mali,” Macron said.
Earlier, last Thursday, Macron lashed out at Mali’s Prime Minister Chogoel Kokla Maiga for “shameful” allegations made against his country from the UN platform, which he said was “abandoning” Mali. Was.
In June, Paris began to reorganize its military presence in the Sahel region, excluding bases specifically north of Mali (Kidal, Timbuktu and Tesalit), and plans to reduce its military numbers in the region by 2023. Made. 2,500 and 3,000 elements, compared to over 5 thousand now.