Algeria Expresses Concerns After Mali Suspends ‘Reconciliation Agreement’

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune receives Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 16, 2023. (Algerian Presidency)
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune receives Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 16, 2023. (Algerian Presidency)
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Algeria Expresses Concerns After Mali Suspends ‘Reconciliation Agreement’

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune receives Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 16, 2023. (Algerian Presidency)
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune receives Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on Jan. 16, 2023. (Algerian Presidency)

Algeria voiced deep concerns and regret after the transitional authority in Mali announced it terminated the peace and reconciliation agreement, known as the Algiers Agreement.

Algiers warned that the suspension carries risks for Mali and the entire region that is seeking peace and security.

Mali announced the "immediate suspension" of the 2015 agreement, attributing its decision to the failure of other signatories to honor their commitments and alleged "hostile actions" by Algeria.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry denounced the move, expressing deep concerns over the potential implications of this move.

Addressing the people of Mali, the Ministry acknowledged Algeria's unwavering support for the accord, emphasizing its sincerity, good faith, and solidarity.

It strongly refuted the Malian authorities' justification for abandoning the agreement, labeling the reasons presented as "untrue and completely irrelevant."

Rather, it said that over the past two years, Mali had shirked its responsibility in implementing the agreement and systematically rejected any efforts to revive it, said the Ministry.

Moreover, it added that Bamako was skeptical of the integrity of the international mediators, had even described as terrorists the signatories of the agreement and demanded the withdrawal of the UN mission.

The statement said these measures carefully paved the way for abandoning political efforts in favor of the military option to resolve the financial crisis.

The Ministry warned that opting for a military approach poses a significant threat to Malian unity, potentially inciting a civil war, hindering reconciliation, and endangering regional stability.

Mali's military government spokesperson, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, announced the end of the peace deal during a televised statement on Thursday.

The government "notes the complete impossibility of the deal," Maiga said, "and consequently announces its end, with immediate effect."

He said it was impossible to continue with the agreement because other stakeholders were not upholding their commitments, as well as "hostile acts" by Algeria, which acted as a primary mediator.

Meanwhile, the Front for the Coordination of Azawad Movements, one of Mali’s armed opposition organizations, said it wasn’t surprised at the abandonment of the agreement.

Spokesman Mouloud Ramadan said it was expected after Mali brought in Russia’s Wagner Group and expelled the UN mission.

Algeria and Mali share a 1,300 km border, which is a target for extremist groups, arms smugglers, illegal migration networks, and drug traffickers.

The relationship between Algeria and Mali became tense in recent weeks after the military authorities in Bamako summoned the Algerian ambassador in protest against "unfriendly actions and interference in the domestic affairs of Mali."



Arab League: Gaza ‘Is Not for Sale’

Abu Al-Gheit during the meeting of the Economic and Social Council (Arab League)
Abu Al-Gheit during the meeting of the Economic and Social Council (Arab League)
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Arab League: Gaza ‘Is Not for Sale’

Abu Al-Gheit during the meeting of the Economic and Social Council (Arab League)
Abu Al-Gheit during the meeting of the Economic and Social Council (Arab League)

The Arab League has reiterated its firm opposition to any attempts to displace Palestinians. Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit declared on Thursday that Gaza “is not for sale” and called for an “emergency relief plan” to support the Palestinian people.

Speaking at the opening session of the 115th ministerial meeting of the Economic and Social Council at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Aboul Gheit emphasized the fast-moving developments in the Arab region.

He condemned Israel’s ongoing expansionist policies in the West Bank and the repositioning of its military forces, as well as rising calls from Israeli and American voices advocating for the forced displacement of Palestinians.

He reaffirmed the Arab League’s unwavering stance, rejecting any attempts to remove Palestinians from their land under any pretext.

The Arab official also warned that such actions constitute a clear violation of international law, an infringement on Palestinian rights, and a direct threat to the Palestinian cause, which he described as “the central issue of the Arab world.”

“Gaza is not for sale,” Aboul Gheit stated. “For Palestinians and Arab nations alike, it is an inseparable part of the future Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, alongside the West Bank, with no separation between them, in line with the internationally recognized two-state solution.”

Palestinian Minister of Economy Mohammed Al-Amour also said: “Any talk of displacing our people from Gaza or the West Bank is nothing but an illusion that has no place in reality.”

He praised the steadfast Arab position in rejecting any attempts to undermine the Palestinian cause, stating: “Gaza will not break, and Palestine will never surrender.”

Al-Amour also commended Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan for their firm stance against forced displacement and their support for Palestinian statehood.

“Our people are not excess baggage, nor can they be forcibly removed,” he asserted. “Palestine is neither for sale nor for trade.”

The Economic and Social Council meeting comes amid widespread regional and international condemnation of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take control of Gaza” and transform it into what he described as the “Middle East Riviera.”

His plan also suggested that Egypt and Jordan should accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza—an idea that Cairo and Amman have repeatedly rejected, viewing it as an attempt to erase the Palestinian cause.

Regarding the situation in Gaza, Aboul Gheit stressed the need for continued and effective Arab action on all international and regional fronts—politically, economically, and socially—to mitigate the devastating consequences of Israeli crimes.

He stated that Israel’s war, which began in October 2023, has yet to reveal its full toll. “Beyond the human losses, this is the costliest war in every sense. The material devastation is immense, and the psychological scars left on the Arab consciousness will take years to heal,” he said.

Aboul Gheit urged the Economic and Social Council to adopt emergency relief plans to support the Palestinian people. He also called for clear mechanisms to ensure the coordinated and comprehensive implementation of these plans, as well as the effective management of Arab aid efforts.