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Withdrawal of French forces puts Mali in the eye of the storm

Nobody in Mali is surprised by the withdrawal of French and later EU troops. France and several of its Western allies said on 17th_2022 that they would begin a “coordinated withdrawal” of their military forces from Mali, capping months of an increasingly bitter breakdown in relations with the country’s ruling junta and throwing into uncertainty regional antiterrorism operations spearheaded by French armed forces.
Jihadist groups have spread across Mali, in West Africa, and to the country’s neighbors, even as a coalition of Western and African militaries has tried to fight them.
Meanwhile, more and more, Russia has exploited this anti-French resentment for its own goals. In addition to access to resources such as gold, uranium or gemstones, Moscow is primarily concerned with geostrategic hegemony. Accordingly, Russian trolls have flooded the social networks with anti-French propaganda, fake news and alleged success stories of Russian military operations.
“Today it's the terrorist groups who are happy with this announcement,” said Amadou Koita, former Cabinet minister in the government of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. He told the Associated Press he heard with regret French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement on 17th-Feberuary 2022 that France will withdraw its military from Mali within six months. France has troops in two military operations in Mali, Barkane and Takuba.
Macron said al-Qaida and Islamic State had made the Sahel region of West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea nations “a priority for their strategy of expansion“. Most experts say the dozens of factions and coalitions in the Sahel, a wide band of scrub and bush along the southern fringe of the Sahara, are only loosely associated with al-Qaida or IS and are primarily driven by local motives.
Since then, the extremists have regrouped and drilled farther into Mali’s countryside while spilling into neighboring countries. Malians wondered why the French forces in West Africa , which stood at 5,100 last year , could not stop the menace. Some accused the former colonial power of making it worse.
Thousands of West Africans have died, and millions have lost their homes as fighters who claim adherence to extremist al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups have grabbed more territory. A European counterterrorism force called Takuba was supposed to pick up the slack. Now that effort is also at risk: Nearly half of the 800 soldiers deployed are French, and Mali kicked out 100 Danish soldiers who had arrived last month at France’s invitation, citing a lack of paperwork. (Sweden also said it would withdraw troops from Takuba.)Takuba also was weakened recently when Mali abruptly said Danish troops should leave the country.
Neighboring Burkina Faso, which has experienced enormous losses and displacement as extremism has grown there, will face difficulties ahead with this decision, according to experts.
”The impact on security in Burkina Faso will be very difficult because the north and center of Mali are beyond the control of the Malian state due to the weak security network. If European troops leave Mali, the area will be a base for terrorist groups. This will be very difficult for Burkina Faso. Hopefully, Mali will be able to quickly find another strategy to occupy the area after the departure of foreign forces,” said Mamadou Drabo, head of the civil society group Save Burkina Faso.
Conclusion
It is certain that the French withdrawal will provide an area in which the “Nusrat al-Islam and Muslims” group and the “Islamic State” organization can move in Mali without the jihadists fearing the intervention of the French air force, in the event that a decision is taken to prevent French aircraft from flying in the Malian airspace.
The withdrawal of the French forces from Mali came as a result of a failure in the way the French dealt with the countries of the African coast. France dealt with these countries as if they were a colonial country. Not to mention that the withdrawal of French forces is also linked to a political decision related to the upcoming French elections.
What Mali and the countries of the African Sahel need is not to be satisfied with the deployment of military forces, but also to address the roots of extremism and terrorism, most notably poverty, failed regimes and the spread of racism. The countries of Europe and the West should strengthen the capabilities of governments in West Africa and strengthen democratic regimes instead of the leaders of military coups that dominate the political scene in West Africa, including the African Sahel countries.
By: jassim Mohamad – Bonn
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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