Algeria-Mali Diplomatic Rift: Rising Tensions and Regional Implications

Political and diplomatic tensions are escalating between Mali and its northern neighbor, Algeria, with Bamako accusing Algeria of interfering in its internal affairs. 

This accusation refers to Algeria's support for the "Azawad" movement in northern Mali.

Algeria had brokered a 2015 "Peace and Reconciliation" agreement between the Malian government and armed groups, particularly the Tuareg rebels, which included 68 provisions. 

The most significant of these was Bamako’s recognition of the unique status of northern Mali within the framework of a unified state.

However, in January 2024, Mali’s military council announced the termination of the agreement, citing a "shift in the positions of some signatory groups and hostile actions" by Algeria.

The Tuaregs, an ethnic group from the Sahara region, including parts of northern Mali, have long felt marginalized by their government. 

Many are calling for the independence of the Azawad region from Bamako.

Malian sovereignty

Recently, the Malian government condemned Algeria for "interfering in its internal affairs," urging it to "focus on its own internal crises, including tribal issues, and stop exploiting Mali as a tool to achieve external political objectives."

In a statement signed by Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop on January 2, 2025, Mali expressed "serious concern over the ongoing interference of certain Algerian authorities in Mali’s domestic affairs," describing it as "patronizing and arrogant."

Bamako’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that "the fight against terrorist groups is an entirely sovereign right of the Republic of Mali" and insisted that Algeria was "not in a position to lecture Mali on counterterrorism." 

The statement further asserted that Mali has its own strategy, one that aligns with its national needs.

The statement also pointed to the successes of Mali’s armed forces in combating terrorism, noting their ongoing pressure on terrorist groups, some of which are reportedly supported by Algeria. 

It suggested that some Algerian officials might be nostalgic for the past, a stance "at odds with the security and stability interests of Mali."

Finally, the ministry reiterated Mali’s commitment to its "partnership with Burkina Faso and Niger in the Sahel Confederation," vowing to continue the fight against terrorism in all its forms and to safeguard the sovereignty and national security of the three countries.

The Malian government’s statement follows a press conference by Algeria’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf, who reviewed the achievements of Algerian diplomacy in 2024.

On December 31, 2024, the Algerian news site Maghreb Emergent reported that Attaf discussed Russia’s growing influence in the Sahel region. 

He mentioned the existence of an "institutional mechanism" that meets every three months to assess the situation and discuss concerns and proposals.

Attaf explained that the "mechanism has held four regular meetings and proven effective," facilitating progress in addressing certain files (though he did not specify which ones).

The foreign minister emphasized that Algeria had persuaded Russia that history had demonstrated the failure of a military solution in the Sahel, particularly in Mali. 

"The Algerian side convinced the Russian counterpart that military interventions have not worked in the Sahel and, specifically, in Mali." 

"Algeria has mediated four times in Niger and four more times in Mali throughout history, as the peaceful solution has always proven to be the most appropriate after the failure of military options," Attaf noted.

Attaf also reiterated Algeria’s stance in opposing Mali’s classification of northern Mali political movements as "terrorist groups." 

He argued that these groups, which signed the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Algiers, should not be labeled as terrorist organizations overnight. 

"It is absurd that these groups, which were part of the peace agreement, could suddenly be branded as terrorist factions," he stated.

According to Attaf, these movements would ultimately be the ones to negotiate with Mali’s central government in the future, as "diplomacy will return, whether soon or later."

Algeria expressed regret in January 2024 over Mali’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, which was part of the so-called "Algiers Process."

In 2014, Algeria hosted long negotiations between the central government in Bamako and armed political factions from northern Mali, leading to the "Algiers Process" and culminating in the signing of the peace agreement on June 15, 2015.

A Serious Violation

The most prominent response to Bamako's statement came from the "National Construction Movement," a political group loyal to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. 

The movement criticized the Malian Foreign Ministry's statement as a "serious violation of diplomatic norms" and an "unjustified reaction."

In a statement published on its official Facebook page on January 3, 2025, the National Construction Movement condemned what it described as a "dangerous deviation" in Mali’s handling of relations with Algeria, calling for a "suitable response."

The movement declared that Mali’s Foreign Ministry was neither politically nor morally qualified to offer lessons to Algeria, which, it argued, has confronted and defeated the scourge of terrorism despite a near-total lack of international support.

"Algeria is today dedicating itself with the same determination to supporting its African neighbors in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, drawing on its own bitter yet successful experience."

"Algeria has always demonstrated goodwill, political will, and readiness to contribute to the security and peace of the region. It has consistently worked to strengthen the deep ties with its neighboring countries and peoples and played an active role in resolving armed conflicts peacefully, including in the Mali crisis."

The National Construction Movement also expressed its firm backing for Algeria’s official stance, asserting that the ongoing conflict between Mali’s factions is "political and cannot be solved militarily."

It reaffirmed its "steadfast support for Algeria’s foreign policy, which firmly believes that only peaceful means—free from foreign interference—can guarantee lasting and sustainable peace, security, and stability in the Republic of Mali."

The movement concluded by praising Algeria’s leadership under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, asserting that “today, under the wise leadership of President Tebboune and the unity of its people with the National People's Army, Algeria is determined to confront all conspiracies and counter any provocations targeting the country.”

Diplomatic Confusion

In contrast, opposition leader Mohamed Larbi Zitout, a prominent figure in Algeria’s "Rachad" movement, believes the recent developments reflect "confusion within Algerian diplomacy."

Speaking to Arab21 on January 2, 2025, Zitout argued that the situation reflects not only the fragility of the regime and its political leadership's inability to comprehend the rapid transformations taking place in the region and the world, but also the nature of the system itself, which is dominated by generals and military officers.

Zitout emphasized that "the last group that should be offering advice on counterterrorism is the Algerian regime, which is effectively the head of terrorism in the region. It is the primary culprit behind the 'decade of blood' that claimed the lives of half a million Algerians and displaced tens of thousands during the 1990s, when it overturned the results of the elections."

"And in Mali itself, which initially collaborated with the French to combat what it called terrorism, before allowing the Wagner terrorist group to enter the country."

"Wagner has turned against the Algerian regime," Zitout said, "and is now operating according to an Emirati agenda in the Sahel, a shift that has stripped the Algerian government of its influence over the direction of Mali’s political affairs. Today, a military junta in Mali, which once adhered to Algeria’s leadership, is now openly defying the Algerian regime and teaching it lessons."

Meanwhile, Maliweb, a Malian news outlet, highlighted the rising tension between Bamako and Algiers over the choice between military or political approaches to resolving the situation in Mali. The site emphasized that Bamako has firmly rejected any Algerian mediation on political matters.

In a report dated January 2, 2025, the outlet noted that "diplomatic relations between Mali and Algeria are experiencing a new escalation over the issue of counterterrorism in the Sahel region."

"Mali, which has opted for a military approach in cooperation with Burkina Faso and Niger within the Sahel Alliance, strongly rejects any future mediation by Algeria," 

"This crisis follows a series of disputes between the two countries in 2023 and 2024, including the recall of both countries’ ambassadors for consultations in December 2023, as tensions rose over the management of the security situation in the Sahel," the report further noted.

Mali’s authorities, according to Maliweb, “had condemned the shift in position of the northern Mali armed groups, labeling them as terrorist entities. They also criticized the failure of international mediation to enforce agreements related to the issue.”

Bloody Events

Relations between the two countries had already been sharply strained months earlier, with Jeune Afrique magazine revealing a new diplomatic rift between Algeria and Mali, driven by multiple factors. 

One of the key reasons was an airstrike carried out by the Malian military using drones on August 25, 2024, in the vicinity of the border town of Tin Zaouatine.

In a report published on August 26, 2024, the French magazine noted that the Tin Zaouatine region is under tight Algerian military surveillance, with air bases, helicopter landing pads, and military barracks scattered throughout the area, alongside units of gendarmes, border guards, and intelligence officers.

The magazine also pointed out that the Algerian military had set up large security barriers around towns and villages near the Mali border, surrounded by barbed wire and trenches, in an effort to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and smugglers.

According to Jeune Afrique, while Bamako authorities claim the airstrikes targeted about twenty militants they labeled as "terrorists," local and humanitarian sources—supported by the Algerian narrative—insist that most of the victims were civilians, including around ten children.

The magazine documented the sharp diplomatic escalation between the two countries, with Algeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations calling for international sanctions in response to the strikes, criticizing the use of "private armies."

It also outlined how Mali responded robustly to these accusations, describing them as "serious and unfounded," while accusing Algeria of "spreading terrorist propaganda."

Jeune Afrique noted that this escalation comes amid broader tensions, with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his inner circle strongly opposing the presence of the Wagner Group in the Sahel. 

They are also concerned about Turkiye's supply of six drones to the Malian army, which are being used against Tuareg rebels.

The French magazine emphasized that Algeria’s hosting of a delegation from northern Mali’s armed movements in December triggered anger in Bamako, leading to a diplomatic standoff and a mutual recall of ambassadors between the two countries.

Jeune Afrique concluded its report by highlighting that, despite the temporary return of Algeria's ambassador to Mali on January 5, 2024, the recent events in Tin Zaouatine have brought relations between the two countries back to a point of tension, raising fears of wider regional repercussions in the Sahel.