On May 2, France was informed of the Malian transitional authorities' unilateral decision to terminate the Defense Cooperation Treaty between France and Mali as well as the Status of Forces Agreement governing the French and European partner forces involved in the Takuba Task Force. France considers this decision to be unjustified and formally contests any violation of the bilateral legal framework that may be ascribed to the Operation Barkhane forces.
France will continue the orderly withdrawal of its military presence from Mali in compliance with the commitments made to its partners and in an effort to continue to coordinate and engage in respectful dialogue with the Malian armed forces. France remains vigilant regarding any attempts to manipulate information and reiterates its determination to ensure the security of its soldiers and the European soldiers working with them in this phase of the disengagement process.
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Q: Mali announced its termination of the defense agreements with France and its European partners. What is your reaction to this? What will be the consequences for the withdrawal of the Operation Barkhane troops?
Q: On Monday evening, the junta that is in power in Mali announced that it was terminating the defense agreements with France and its European partners. Would you please confirm that you were informed of this decision? According to Bamako, the termination of the legal Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) will take effect immediately. What will be the consequences for the French and European troops that are still in Mali? Will this speed up their withdrawal?
A: Please consult my statement.