Mali Orders Swedish Ambassador to Leave Within 72 Hours

BAMAKO, (Xinhua) – The Swedish Ambassador to Mali Kristina Kuhnel has been declared persona non grata by the Malian government and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours, the Malian foreign ministry said Friday.

The Swedish ambassador to Bamako, summoned to Mali’s foreign ministry on Aug. 9, 2024, has received notification to leave Malian territory within 72 hours, following a “hostile statement” by her minister of international cooperation and trade on Mali, said the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in a post on X, previously known as Twitter.

On Wednesday, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell announced that Stockholm will end its “development aid strategy” on Mali

Forssell’s announcement followed Mali’s decision to break off diplomatic relations with Ukraine after some Ukrainian officials admitted that Kiev played a role in an attack on Malian armed forces in Tinzawatene, in northern Mali.

In solidarity with Mali, Niger has also announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine. ■