Mali denies return of ambassador to Algiers

Mali appears hesitant to follow its ally, Niger’s, lead in resuming ties with Algeria, as Bamako denies rumours that its ambassador is returning to Algiers, as reported by the Moroccan government-friendly Yabiladi and agencies on February 21st.

In a statement, Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Abdoulaye Diop, dismissed these claims as “completely false and unfounded information is circulating on social media, suggesting the return of our Ambassador to Algiers.”

“This false information is deliberately spread by ill-intentioned individuals to sow confusion.”

Relations between the countries deteriorated in April 2025 when Algeria was accused of shooting down a Malian drone over Tin Zaouatine, a border town that is a stronghold of the Tuareg separatist group in Mali.

Following the drone incident, Mali and its Sahel allies, Niger and Burkina Faso, recalled their ambassadors from Algiers. This is despite the four countries sharing historical ties as former French colonies.

Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali are founding members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a cooperation pact designed to counter jihadist insurgencies through shared military and intelligence resources.

Mali accused Algeria of funding Tuareg militants, and in a joint statement, the Sahel alliance accused Algeria of supporting terrorism, a growing threat in the Sahel region.

It was reported on February 13th that Niger and Algeria sought to normalise ties following talks in Algiers, after which it was decided that Niger’s ambassador would return to Algiers and their Algerian counterpart would return to Niamey.

The resumption of ties was confirmed on February 16th, with Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune saying, “The relationship between these two brotherly and neighbouring countries will be an example for Africa.”

Amid these tensions, Mali has sought military ties with Morocco, Algeria’s regional rival. Algeria has rejected Moroccan claims to sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory and has become increasingly diplomatically isolated as a result.

Relations between Morocco and the landlocked Sahel countries have developed in recent months, with the Sahel states likely to benefit from the Atlantic Initiative, which would give them access to the Atlantic Ocean via the Western Sahara.

It is unclear if Mali’s ties to Morocco will affect its alliance with Niger; however, both Burkina Faso and Niger have endorsed Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, while Mali’s stance remains unclear.

Yabiladi and agencies, Maghrebi.org