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Mali junta expels French ambassador in fresh bout of tension
Mali on Monday said it was expelling the French ambassador in the light of “hostile” comments, a move likely to ratchet up tensions with its former colonial ruler and ally following a military coup.
A statement read on national television said, “The ambassador of France in Bamako, his excellency Joel Meyer… was notified of the decision of the government asking him to leave the national territory within 72 hours.”
The move raises further questions over France’s continued military support for Mali, a deeply poor country battling a nearly decade-long jihadist campaign.
The French foreign ministry issued a brief statement saying it “takes note” of the announcement and expressed “solidarity with its European partners” — its allies in the anti-jihadist mission.
Relations between the two countries began to fray after the army seized power in Bamako in August 2020, and worsened after the junta staged a second coup in May 2021.
Last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters that Mali’s junta was “illegitimate” and its decisions “irresponsible”.
Defence Minister Florence Parly also accused the country’s rulers of stepping up “provocations” of France.
Monday’s statement in Bamako said remarks had been made that were “hostile and outrageous”, and had been uttered “despite repeated protests” by Mali.
“The Malian government vigorously condemns and rejects these remarks, which are contrary to the development of friendly relations between nations,” it said.
However, it added, the Malian government “reiterates its readiness to maintain dialogue and pursue cooperation with all its international partners, including France, in mutual respect and on the basis of the cardinal principle of non-interference.”
Meyer, the French ambassador, was appointed to Bamako in October 2018.
Coup sparked friction
Rebel officers led a coup in August 2020 that toppled Mali’s elected leader Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was facing angry protests at failures to stem the jihadists.
The following May, the junta pushed out a civilian-led government appointed to oversee a transition period and named strongman Colonel Assimi Goita as interim president.
By year’s end, France and its European allies were alarmed at the junta’s reported decision to hire mercenaries from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.
France — which stages presidential elections in April — repeatedly warned that it would be untenable for its forces to fight alongside unaccountable mercenaries.
Russian “advisors” in the Central African Republic have been accused of carrying out abuses of civilians.
Tensions have also risen since the West Africa bloc ECOWAS imposed a trade embargo and
The sanctions followed a junta proposal to stay in power for up to five years before staging
border closures with Mali on January 9, in a move backed by France, the United States and the European Union.
The sanctions followed a junta proposal to stay in power for up to five years before staging elections, despite an earlier commitment to hold a vote by the end of February 2022.
French pullback
As friction worsened last year, France started scaling back 5,100-man Barkhane Sahel operation and pulling out of some bases in northern Mali.
Its goal is to halve the contingent by the summer of 2023, but central to the plan is a French-led European force called Takuba that would shoulder some of the strain.
Under it, European allies are committing special forces to help train and fight alongside Malian units.
But Takuba has also hit problems with Mali.
Last week, the junta demanded that Denmark withdraw its newly arrived contingent of some 90 soldiers, claiming it had deployed without authorisation — a charge Copenhagen denied.
On Twitter, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said the ambassador’s expulsion was “unacceptable” and his country “stands in full solidarity with France.”
“Such irresponsible behaviour is not what we expect from Mali, (which will (lose) international credibility,” Kofod warned.
France’s army chief, General Pierre Schill, declined to comment on future French deployments.
“The Sahel question is overwhelmingly political,” he told reporters. “Today, on a daily basis, our units are continuing their partnership with Malian battalions.”
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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