The remarks came after al Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announced a fuel blockade in September that triggered long fuel lines and temporary school closures in the capital. Western governments and the African Union (AU) have since urged a stronger international response and, in several cases, advised citizens to leave.

Government Downplays Threat To Bamako

Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop used a press conference at a defense exhibition in Bamako to argue that armed groups remain far from taking the capital. He said Mali was “very far from the scenario” described abroad, insisting that JNIM was “no match” for state security forces and that the fuel blockade’s impact was being mitigated.

Diop framed the blockade, announced in September 2025, as an attempt to provoke unrest and topple the military-led government that emerged from the 2020 and 2021 putsches. Many schools that closed during the worst of the fuel shortages have now reopened, and Bamako is hosting a defense fair showcasing Turkish firms, which authorities cite as proof that daily life continues.

Western Evacuations And AU Alarm

The AU on Sunday called for an urgent international response, including intelligence-sharing, to address what it termed worsening security conditions. In parallel, at least four Western governments — the United States, France, Britain and Italy — have urged their nationals to leave Mali, citing the risk of further deterioration.

Diop criticized those warnings as based on an inaccurate picture of the situation on the ground. While saying he respected “the choice of certain countries that have asked their nationals to leave,” he stressed that Mali “remains welcoming to foreigners” and that dialogue with the United States on security and economic issues is ongoing.

Alliances Shift After ECOWAS Exit

The minister’s comments also come as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso consolidate a hard break with ECOWAS after jointly quitting the bloc earlier in 2025. The three military-led governments present themselves as an alternative security axis in the Sahel, anchored in closer ties with Russia rather than Western partners.

Mali’s leadership argues that this realignment gives it greater autonomy in confronting armed groups operating across its vast territory. Critics, however, see the fuel blockade and continuing rural attacks as evidence that insurgent pressure remains significant despite the government’s assurances.