Why did the French leave Mali?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 15 September 2022
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Relations between France and Mali have hit a low point, with both countries trading hostile comments in public about what the other is doing.
Mali’s military rulers accuse France of supplying arms to anti-government militants. Paris denies this and is unhappy about Mali’s working relationship with Russian mercenaries.
Things are so bad that President Emmanuel Macron announces the withdrawal of French troops. They were sent in 9 years ago to help fight Islamist militants, who still pose a threat across the region.
On this week’s inquiry, we look at why the French have departed, and what this means for Mali.
Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Broadcast co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson
(Photo: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What's up y'all, I'm Renee Montgomery and my podcast Untold Legends Aura is available |
| 0:05.4 | now. |
| 0:06.4 | I'm looking back on the life of one of the most extraordinary black female sport stars |
| 0:11.6 | of the 20th century, whose name has been all but forgotten. |
| 0:16.0 | Aura Washington. |
| 0:18.1 | Stay listening at the end of this podcast to find out more. |
| 0:26.7 | Welcome to the inquiry. |
| 0:27.8 | I'm Charmaine Cozier, each week one question for experts and an answer. |
| 0:38.9 | February 2022, a relationship is breaking down. |
| 0:44.7 | The two parties involved have a lot of history together, but things have been rocky for |
| 0:49.8 | a while. |
| 0:51.6 | They both trade hostile comments in public about what the others doing and who they're |
| 0:56.6 | spending time with. |
| 0:58.6 | On one side of this split is the military leadership of Marley, on the other, the government |
| 1:03.8 | of France. |
| 1:07.0 | Things get so bad that President Emmanuel Macron decides it's time to go. |
| 1:12.4 | He announces the withdrawal of French troops from Marley. |
| 1:15.4 | We cannot engage materially side by side with the factor authorities with whom we do |
| 1:21.4 | not share strategy nor objectives. |
| 1:24.6 | As a situation we're dealing with in Marley today. |
| 1:27.6 | The fight against terrorism cannot... |
| 1:29.3 | The last unit's leave in August, nine years after arriving to help fight Islamist militants. |
... |
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