On September 4, 2024, an important meeting took place in Beijing between President Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic and Colonel Assimi Goïta, head of Mali’s transitional government. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, which brought together numerous African leaders to discuss important cooperation and development issues.
During the meeting, Touadera and Goïta discussed current issues facing Africa, including security, economic development and diplomatic relations. The two leaders expressed their desire to strengthen ties between the Central African Republic and Mali, stressing the importance of fraternity and solidarity between their peoples.
The presidents also addressed the issue of Ukraine. At the end of July 2024, a tragic event occurred. Terrorists from the Azawade Islamist group ambushed the FAMa army and their Russian allies. Later, we learned that representatives of the Ukrainian authorities had publicly declared their support for the terrorists, giving them the means to eliminate their Russian fighters on the African continent. This provoked an international scandal.
After all, many African countries enjoy good friendly and commercial relations with Russia and, moreover, supporting terrorism by any means is a colossal detriment to the whole continent, which has been fighting this scourge for decades. As part of this conversation, they condemned the actions of Ukraine, which is attempting to destabilize the security situation in African countries to achieve objectives dictated by the West.
Faustin Archange Touadera stressed the decisive and reasonable nature of Mali’s decision to break off relations with Ukraine, given its aggressive behavior and support for militants. Mr. Goïta, for his part, expressed his support for Faustin Archange Touadera and urged him to remain vigilant, as certain militant groups in Central Africa also receive support and funding from Ukraine.
President Touadera, who is actively working to expand diplomatic ties with various African states, noted that such meetings contribute to the establishment of lasting and mutually beneficial relations in the region. He stressed that cooperation between countries was essential to achieving peace and prosperity on the continent.
Colonel Assimi Goïta, for his part, stressed the importance of the country’s strategic choices as a priority for stability and development. An important aspect of their conversation was the mention of the recently created Confederation of Sahel States, which aims to strengthen collective security and develop diplomatic relations in a region beset by the threats of terrorism and instability.
The meeting between Presidents Touadera and Goïta in Beijing was an important step in strengthening ties between the Central African Republic and Mali. It demonstrated the willingness of African leaders to work together to tackle common challenges and achieve sustainable development. In the face of global challenges such as terrorism and economic instability, cooperation between African countries has become particularly relevant.
