There is a sense that despite sending hundreds of peacekeepers to Mali and investing hundreds of millions in assistance in the country in recent years, Canada has become largely disengaged from it thanks to a lack of political will and interest.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne rises during a sitting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian WyldOTTAWA -- When armed soldiers arrested Mali's embattled president earlier this month and forced him to resign on television in a coup that has been widely condemned by the international community, Canada was among those to speak out in unequivocal terms.
Yet there is a sense that despite sending hundreds of peacekeepers to Mali and investing hundreds of millions in assistance in the country in recent years, Canada has become largely disengaged from it thanks to a lack of political will and interest. The coup on Aug. 18 that saw president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita arrested and forced to resign was an "exclamation point" or culmination of all those factors coming together, said Jonathan Sears, an expert on Mali at the University of Winnipeg.
Yet the UN had to practically arm twist Canada into the mission and the federal Liberal government resisted repeated requests for Canadian troops to stay longer, all of which was seen as a signal of its lack of real interest in the country. Meanwhile, Mali remains one of Canada's top aid recipients; the West African nation has received more than $1.6 billion since 2000, according to the federal government, including almost $140 million in 2018-19.
Even before the coup, some critics, such as former Canadian diplomat Louise Ouimet, had started to question the degree to which Canada was really helping Mali as it struggles to overcome its longstanding problems and chart a sustainable path forward.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NBA playoffs resume Saturday as sides detail new commitmentsNBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote, hopefully in their home arenas. And they want to keep playing basketball. Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments that made players comfortable continuing.
Read more »
NBA playoffs resume Saturday as sides detail new commitments - TSN.caThe NBA playoffs will resume Saturday after the league and the National Basketball Players Association detailed the commitments that made players comfortable continuing. In a joint statement released Friday, the sides said they would immediately establish a social justice coalition, made up of players, coaches and owners, that would focus on issues such as voting access and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.
Read more »
Ottawa runs $120B deficit in just three months as Canadian economy cratersThe staggering deficit comes as new numbers shows the Canadian economy shrinking by a record\u002Dhigh 38 per cent in the same period
Read more »
Ottawa runs $120B deficit in just three months as Canadian economy cratersThe staggering deficit comes as new numbers shows the Canadian economy shrinking by a record\u002Dhigh 38 per cent in the same period
Read more »
How I'm Dealing With Poverty In The Pandemic As A Single Mom“For years, self-care has eluded me. There is no such thing as self-care amid oncology surgeries and poverty.” HuffPostPersonal
Read more »