Algeria confronts Mali at the UN amid drone disputes
Tensions rise as Algeria and Mali clash at the UN over the downing of an alleged peacekeeping drone.
According to The New Arab, on September 29th, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf denounced comments made days earlier by Mali’s prime minister, Abdouyale Maiga, who had accused Algiers of supporting “international terrorism”
“A member of the coup regime from Mali dares, through this rostrum, to attack Algeria… This is the height of rudeness and vulgarity,” Attaf declared.
Malian officials have claimed Algeria shot down one of their drones inside Malian territory over the Sahara. Algeria, however, maintains the aircraft crossed into its airspace, making it justifiable to shoot it down.
Maiga warned that “for every bullet fired against us, we shall respond in turn,” and confirmed Bamako had filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice. Algerian officials dismissed the move as “shameless.”
The dispute comes against the backdrop of Mali’s long issue with jihadists, which has plagued large parts of the country since 2012.
As reported by Maghrebi, due to the drone situation, both countries restricted flights from each other and tightened their shared border. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) even stated “deep concerns” over this and its implications, worrying that the rising tensions could lead to escalation.
However, the drone row is only the latest episode in a wider deterioration of Mali-Algerian relations. The Taoudeni Basin in northern Mali, a resource rich zone that borders Algeria, is said to be a key factor in the rivalry. The prospect of future oil exploration there has heightened sensitivity around sovereignty, making disputes over airspace and security all the more heated.
Furthermore, Algeria has seemingly placed itself as a mediator in the Sahel. In July, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune offered to facilitate dialogue between Mali’s military rulers and northern rebel groups. Despite this, the current tensions undermined these efforts, highlighting how far relations have frayed between the two neighbours.
The New Arab, Maghrebi.org
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