The United States has hailed the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to impose tougher sanctions on Mali over the failure of the junta-led administration there to return the country to democratic rule.
The US States Department said in a statement on Monday that the move by the subregional grouping was in defense of democracy and stability in Mali, which the junta-led transition administration had been endangering by its actions and affiliations.
“We share ECOWAS’s deep disappointment with the transition government of Mali’s lack of action or progress toward organizing elections, as it committed to do following the August 2020 coup d’état. We support ECOWAS’ decision to impose additional economic and financial sanctions to urge the transition government to keep its pledge to the Malian people to return their country to democracy,” the States Department said.
According to the States Department, the US is especially concerned about the state of affairs in Mali due to the involvement of a Russian military group, which has sparked fears among Western governments for its potential to further destabilize the restive Sahel nation.
Mali has been battling a decade long Islamist insurgency which has spread to neighboring Sahel countries, including Niger and Burkina Faso. Until recently the Malians have depended on the backing of western forces, mainly European nations, to fight off the insurgents.
But the coups in 2020 and 2021 in Mali angered the French, who have been leading the foreign intervention forces.
The French government has since announced its intention to withdraw its support.
Together with France, the US, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom in particular have been vocal about their opposition to the involvement of the private security firm Wagner, which they believe is representing the interest of Russia in the region.
“We also echo ECOWAS’s concern over the likely destabilizing impact of Russia-backed Wagner group forces in Mali. As noted in the Department’s statement of December 15, 2021, these forces will not bring peace to Mali and will divert resources away from the Malian Armed Forces’ fight against terrorism,” it says.
The Malian authorities have defended the decision to enlist the services of the group. In its response to the ECOWAS sanctions on Sunday, the transition administration cited progress it said it had made with the support of the involvement of the private security firm.
The States Department in its statement reiterated the US government’s position that the Russians will only worsen the security situation.
They accused ECOWAS of serving as a proxy to outside interest.
