France's defence minister warns Mali against Russian 'mercenary' firm

France's defence minister has warned Bamako that hiring paramilitaries from Russian private-security firm Wagner would isolate the country internationally, at the end of a two-day visit to the Sahel.

French Barkhane force soldiers ending a four-month tour of duty in the Sahel leave their base in Gao, Mali. AP - Jerome Delay

Florence Parly told reporters on Monday that if Mali hired the firm, at a time when international partners fighting jihadism in the Sahel "had never been so numerous, such a choice would be that of isolation". 

Parly's meeting with her Malian counterpart Colonel Sadio Camara follows a previous warning to Bamako from its former colonial power last week, after reports that Mali's army-dominated government was close to hiring 1,000 Wagner paramilitaries.

The Russian company is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has been accused of committing abuses.

• French defence minister in Sahel amid speculation Mali may hire Russian mercenaries
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A Malian defence ministry official reportedly claims that Camara had assured Parly and that no decision regarding Wagner had been made.

According to the source, Minister Camara explained that France's "abandonment" of Mali meant "everything had to be considered to secure the country."

France, which has thousands of troops stationed in the war-torn country, has pledged a major troop drawdown across the Sahel by early-2022.

Parly responded that France was not abandoning Mali.

Je l’ai toujours dit : la solution au Sahel n’est pas que nos militaires se substituent aux forces locales. Notre objectif, c’est l’autonomie des armées sahéliennes. pic.twitter.com/ah3XRf4xah

— Florence Parly (@florence_parly) September 19, 2021

Strained relations with Mali's junta, as Russian influence rises

Parly's visit follows months of tense relations between France and Mali, exacerbated by two military coups in the space of one year. 

France is concerned about military strongman Colonel Assimi Goita's commitment to hold swift elections to return Mali to civilian rule.

Meanwhile, Russian paramilitaries, private-security instructors and companies have grown increasingly influential in Africa in recent years, particularly in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic, where the United Nations has accused Wagner contractors of committing abuses. 

Last week, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix insisted that any partnership between Mali and Wagner had to be "carried out in full respect for human rights". 

The UN has 13,000 peacekeepers in Mali.