Mali Receives New Ambassadors and Reaffirms Firm Stance Against Terrorism

Mali’s President Assimi Goïta received the credentials of four new ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Mali on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the Koulouba Palace. The new envoys were Lorenzo Tomassoni of Italy, Festus Bizimana of Rwanda, Martin Podstavek of Slovakia, and Pietro Mona of Switzerland.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, who later met with the diplomatic corps to discuss recent security events that have shaken the country. During that meeting, Mali’s top diplomat addressed the terrorist attacks of April 25 as well as the death of former Defence Minister General Sadio Camara, to whom a minute of silence was observed.

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Abdoulaye Diop denounced what he called an attempted destabilization aimed at weakening Mali’s institutions and challenging the country’s sovereignty. He stated that these attacks were not isolated incidents but part of a strategy designed to decapitate Mali’s leadership. The minister also pointed fingers at the sponsors of terrorism and condemned an information war involving disinformation and media manipulation.

According to Diop, the Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, by collaborating with the Al Qaeda affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, or JNIM, has associated itself with an organisation recognised as terrorist by the United Nations. Despite this tense security context, Malian authorities insist that institutions remain strong and that the armed forces are continuing their missions with professionalism and determination. Bamako also welcomed the support of fellow Alliance of Sahel States countries as well as Russia in the fight against terrorism.

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