The European Union is facing a dilemma over its remaining presence in Mali and the wider West African Sahel region since it does not want to cooperate with Russia’s expanding military forces, its top diplomat said on Wednesday.
The decision by junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to withdraw from the West African bloc ECOWAS has further complicated the EU presence in the region.
The bloc’s foreign policy, Chief Josep Borrell, said ahead of a defence ministers meeting in Brussels.
“It is very significant that these three states, all with military dictatorships, decided to leave the regional body … at the same time that we see the Russian influence increase,” Borrell said.
“This creates a new geopolitical configuration of this area.”
He added that Russia’s presence was already strong in Mali and could be soon in Niger and Burkina Faso.
Borrell said the EU has until May 24 to decide whether or not to stay in Mali.
“We still have a couple of missions in Mali that have not been withdrawn. But… we don’t want to cooperate with Africa Corps,” he added.
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Africa Corps is the name of the Russian military presence that has succeeded Wagner Group. Wagner is the mercenary force that Russia deployed to Mali in 2021. Last week a contingent flew to Burkina Faso.
The military overthrew the democratic governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in coups in 2020. All face an insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions.
The junta-led states have distanced themselves from former colonial ruler France. They kicked out its troops and turned toward Russia as an economic and security partner instead.
The EU already halted part of its training of Mali’s armed forces in 2022, citing the risk of Russian interference.
It still has a training mission, EUTM Mali, and a civilian crisis management mission, EUCAP Sahel Mali.
In December, Niger’s junta revoked the country’s military partnership with the European Union, known as EUCAP Sahel Niger.
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