The US government on Wednesday warned against the potential deployment of Russia-backed Wagner Group mercenary forces in Mali, claiming it would have a destabilising effect on the African country.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US was “alarmed” over the Wagner deal brokered with Mali’s new military leaders, saying it is costly and will not bring peace.
“We understand that the reported deal — costing $10 million per month — diverts money that could be used to support the Malian Armed Forces and public services,” Mr Price said.
Assimi Goita overthrew Mali's president and prime minister in May and put in place a military-led government.
Russia has maintained close ties with the military and has been viewed as a replacement for French troops that are withdrawing from Mali eight years after intervening to help the government counter extremists.
The State Department said Russia’s Wagner mercenaries “will not bring peace to Mali, but rather will destabilise the country further".
“The Wagner Group, which is also sanctioned by the United States, has been implicated in abuses and actions that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Central African Republic (CAR),” the statement read.
It accused the Kremlin-linked group of carrying out extrajudicial killings of members of predominantly Muslim Peuhl communities.
The EU on Monday sanctioned the Wagner group and 11 of its associates for its activities in Ukraine, Libya, the Central African Republic and Syria.
Foreign ministers from bloc member countries enacted asset freezes, travel bans and financial restrictions on the private military company itself as well as eight individuals and three entities connected to it.
The US urged the transitional government in Mali “not to divert scarce budgetary resources away from the Malian Armed Forces’ fight against terrorism”.
It also called on the military-led government to move rapidly to return to democratic governance, which it said will allow the resumption of US security assistance to Mali.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
