Mali’s military government, headed by president-assim-improv-goita, has been met with international apprehension. They took their recent arrest of a French national, Yann Vezilier, on accusations of conspiracy to stage a coup with mercenaries. General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, Mali’s security minister, announced the arrest, claiming a full investigation is underway and assuring that “the situation is completely under control.” This act is the latest and most serious provocation in a rapidly escalating conflict between Mali and her erstwhile colonial overlord, France.
Previously, after a wave of military-led coups in 2020 & 2021, the time was ripe for a military government takeover. Since then, it has pursued policies that have tested its relationship with the West to the breaking point. In June 2023, Goita gained another five years. This came on the heels of the May dissolution of political parties. It came after a large pro-democracy demonstration earlier this month. It was the first such demonstration since the military seized power last October.
Since early 2012, Mali has found itself in the throes of a serious security crisis. This chaos is due in large part to attacks carried out by al-Qaeda-linked organizations, ISIS, and an array of local criminal thugs. That picture has been complicated further as the context has eroded with the military government’s growing disengagement from its Western partners, and especially France. After a rise in distrust following a series of incidents, France’s military withdrew its troops from Mali. In return, the country began looking to Russia for security support.
France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs condemned Vezilier’s arrest, describing it as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. This announcement highlights France’s long-discussed re-orientation as it operates within an increasingly complex and competitive geopolitical landscape marked by a deepening rift with Mali. This arrest has raised fears of further isolation for Mali. The junta regime is openly in the process of fracturing ties with its historic backers.
General Mohammedine’s statement regarding the investigation into Vezilier’s alleged plot reflects the government’s intent to maintain control amidst growing external pressures. The military’s previous actions, including dissolving political parties and extending Goita’s presidency, have already raised eyebrows internationally and fostered dissent at home.
