relationships between France and the Financial It is currently going through a period of diplomatic upheaval, marked by drastic decisions on both sides. This week, the two countries have mutually suspended the issuance of visas to their nationals through each other’s consular services Paris and in Bamako. This decision, which reflects the growing bilateral tensions along with regional issues, was confirmed by diplomatic sources and announced on August 10, according to information reported by several international media.
France first of all took the initiative to suspend the issuance of visas, thus taking a stand against the current situation in Mali. In fact, after security and risk assessments, France has put its entire financial position, including its capital Bamakoin the red zone, classified as zone “ officially discouraged for travelers. This decision was widely publicized and sparked mixed reactions in both France and Mali. For its part, the Malian government expressed its surprise at this classification, which it learned through social networking sites late Wednesday.
In response to this work by FranceThe Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs opted for reciprocity by suspending the issuance of visas by the Malian Consular Services in Paris. This decision stemmed directly from the comment he initiated France, which reflects the principle of relativistic interaction. As a reminder, in an August 7 update on their website, The French Foreign Ministry highlighted the context of strong regional tensions as the justification for recommending against travel to Mali. Paris called on French citizens already in the country to exercise caution.
The suspension of visa issuance also has practical consequences. The consular services at the French Embassy in Bamako are now forced to reorganize their operations. Capago, the provider that processes visa applications before they are processed by the French authorities, has alerted applicants of this change. “This change necessitates the reorganization of the services of the French Embassy in Bamako, which will therefore not be able to issue visas until further notice.”notifies the service provider.
This chain of events takes place in the broader context of rising tensions between France and Mali. France, the former colonial power, has been militarily involved alongside the Malian army in the fight against the jihadists since 2013. However, the situation took a sudden turn in August 2020, when the colonel overthrew the power in Bamako. These new powers gradually pushed French influence and shifted to Russia.
