Mali: diplomatic tension with Riyadh after the illegal entry of an Al Arabiya journalist

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali has sent a formal protest to the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following what it describes as the illegal entry of Ibrahim Moustapha, a correspondent for the Saudi public channel Al Arabiya and its subsidiary Al Hadath, according to a statement from the Malian Ministry’s Bureau of Information and Press. The ministry claims that this presence represents “a blatant violation of Mali’s sovereignty” and indicates “complicity with terrorist groups.” It also rejects the information disseminated by the journalist, labeling it as “false and baseless,” and presenting it as intended to “discredit the Malian Defense and Security Forces.” Al Arabiya, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ibrahim Moustapha had not publicly responded to these accusations.

The statement does not specify the date of the journalist’s entry into Mali, the conditions of this entry, or the exact nature of the information he is accused of. It also does not provide further details on the precise legal basis invoked — whether a missing visa, unacquired accreditation, or something else — to classify his stay as illegal.

The classification of “complicity with terrorist groups” is the most serious in the statement. It implicitly targets jihadist organizations active in Mali — mainly JNIM and ISWAP — whose offensives on April 25 and 26, 2026 caused significant losses among the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and the Africa Corps, leading to the temporary loss of several localities in the north of the country, including Kidal. In this context, Bamako is particularly sensitive to reporting on the security situation, which it closely controls following the expulsion of French media — RFI suspended since March 2022, France 24 since January 2023 — and foreign correspondents without prior accreditation.

Since 2021, Mali has developed a doctrine of strict control over information regarding military operations. Any foreign journalist wishing to work in Mali must obtain accreditation from the High Authority of Communication (HAC) and, to cover conflict zones, a specific authorization from the Ministry of Defense. The absence of these documents may lead to criminal sanctions, including expulsion or legal proceedings.

A Saudi Partner Called to Account on Bilateral Relations

The tone chosen by Bamako is diplomatically measured but firm. The statement notes that these actions, attributed to media based in Saudi Arabia, “a country considered a brother and historical partner of Mali, are likely to undermine bilateral relations.” This wording serves as a veiled warning to Riyadh, at a time when Mali is multiplying partnerships with new allies — Russia, Turkey — and restructuring its relationship with traditional partners.

Al Arabiya, headquartered in Dubai, is funded by Saudi Arabia and has a significant audience in the Arabic-speaking world. Its subsidiary Al Hadath covers political and security news in the Middle East and Africa. The fact that one of its correspondents has reported on the Malian situation, and Bamako accuses this reporting of being deliberately false and of maintaining links with armed groups, places the incident within the tensions between the transitional Malian authorities and the international press that they do not control.