Mali-Algeria: Dialogue Resumes After Fifteen Months of Diplomatic Crisis

Mali and Algeria are resuming dialogue after fifteen months of diplomatic crisis. Several signs are giving concrete form to this rapprochement: the return of ambassadors, the reopening of airspace and Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga’s trip to Algiers.

The resumption of exchanges appears to be a significant thaw between the two countries. It comes amid a Sahelian context marked by security and political challenges that continue to weigh on their relations.

Disputes still remain

The rapprochement does not necessarily mean that the differences behind the rupture have disappeared. The situation in northern Mali, Algeria’s role, the issue of armed groups and choices regarding security strategy remain at the heart of the differences between Bamako and Algiers.

Recent developments therefore raise the question of the true scope of this diplomatic normalisation: is it a lasting reconciliation or a rapprochement dictated by the constraints of the crisis in the Sahel?

Negotiation once again in focus

In recent weeks, several soldiers detained in the north have also been released. These releases, alongside the resumption of dialogue between Mali and Algeria, have once again placed negotiation at the centre of questions in the Sahelian region.

The exchanges initiated between the two states could therefore matter in the development of issues related to northern Mali and armed groups. However, available sources stress that fundamental disagreements remain.