Mali has ordered Sweden’s ambassador, Kristina Kuhnel, to leave the country within 72 hours, citing a ‘hostile’ statement made by a Swedish minister. The expulsion, announced by Mali’s foreign ministry on Friday, highlights the growing geopolitical shift in the Sahel region, where Mali, along with Burkina Faso and Niger, is moving away from traditional Western alliances in favour of closer ties with Russia.
The diplomatic tension arose after Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Trade, Johan Forssell, announced that Sweden would phase out aid to Mali due to its strengthening relationship with Moscow. Forssell emphasised that a nation ‘cannot support Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and simultaneously receive hundreds of millions in development aid.’
Mali, ruled by a military junta since 2020, has been increasingly reliant on Russian Wagner mercenaries in its ongoing conflict with Tuareg rebels in the north, following the severance of military ties with Western powers, including European Union nations. This shift has strained relations with the West, as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso turn to Russia for military and political support.
In June, Sweden had already decided to close its embassy in Bamako by the end of the year, while continuing humanitarian assistance despite the halt in development aid. Last week, Mali further cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, accusing it of supporting Tuareg rebels—a claim Kyiv has denied.
The expulsion of Sweden’s ambassador underscores the deepening rift between Mali and its former Western allies as it realigns its international partnerships.
Reuters
