The EU regrets the decision of the transitional authorities in Mali to withdraw their country from all G5 Sahel bodies and agencies, including the Joint Force - a decision announced on the evening of Sunday 15 May, and which the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, described on Tuesday 17 May as “very bad news”.
“Even if the decision to remain a member of the G5 Sahel is up to each of the sovereign states that make it up, we can only regret this decision”, Borrell said in a statement issued on Monday evening on behalf of the EU-27.
He highlighted that, “the creation of the G5 Sahel in 2014 was a response to the recognition by all its member states - including Mali - of the absolute need for enhanced cooperation and, in the long term, regional integration, the only way to meet the multiple challenges of the region”.
Referring to “other recent decisions by transitional authorities to withdraw”, he added that, “the EU can only be more concerned about the consequences of this choice for the security of the population in Mali and in the sub-region”.
By withdrawing, Mali is protesting against being blocked from assuming the presidency of the G5 Sahel, which was due to begin in February with a summit of heads of state in Bamako - a summit that has still not taken place. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)